MLB commissioner warns of shutdown if coronavirus is not better managed

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred told MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark on Friday that if the sport doesn’t handle the coronavirus better, it could shut down during the season, sources familiar with the incident told ESPN. conversation.

The league and players acknowledge that the coming days are a critical juncture after an outbreak in the Miami Marlins in which 18 players and two coaches tested positive for COVID-19. Two positive tests by St. Louis Cardinals players on Friday exacerbated concerns within the sport about the presence of the coronavirus and whether the players follow MLB protocols are being properly followed to prevent outbreaks similar to those in Miami.

If another outbreak materializes, Manfred, who has the power to close the season, could move in that direction. Several players reported the call out of fear that the season will close on Monday if the positive tests jump or if the players continue to not strictly abide by league protocols.

State and local governments have lobbied baseball over players who sidestep the mandates outlined in the league’s 113-page operations manual, sources told ESPN. Broadcasts that have shown players don’t wear masks, crash all five and spit have left government officials wondering how seriously players are taking protocols, sources said.

Additionally, there is concern about off-field options, with a senior official saying, “Some bad decisions are being made.”

The Cardinals’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers was postponed on Friday and rescheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday. Already the Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies, who last played in Miami on Sunday, were missing scheduled games, leaving 20% ​​of the league’s Friday board empty.