MLB has launched an investigation into how the COVID-19 outbreak in the Marlins began with the goal of reinforcing best practices specifically with this team and learning what can be done to prevent a recurrence elsewhere, The Post has learned.
With one more player who had a positive test revealed Wednesday, the Marlins’ total moved to 16 players and two coaches were infected. From Friday to Wednesday, the Marlins staff accounted for the only positive results. The other 29 teams combined for zero positives in the MLB and MLB Players Association reports.
Therefore, MLB took a look at what went wrong with the Marlins. As one official said about the Marlins’ situation: “Something happened in a massive way that disrupts the process that is not happening anywhere else.” MLB wants to know why. To decide if the Marlins need further reinforcement of health and safety protocols and to see if elements were omitted from the protocols that could be updated.
There is currently a focus on whether there were infected personnel in the Marlins letter last Tuesday from Miami to Atlanta, and whether members of the Marlins traveling party violated protocol to avoid crowded public places while traveling after an exhibition game on Tuesday night. against the brave.
Marlins vice president of communications and broadcasting Jason Latimer said: “We are not going to comment on rumors. Like MLB, we are gathering as much information as possible about the entire situation. It’s about discovering that information before commenting on it. ”
The Marlins also played the Braves on Wednesday and flew to Philadelphia after that to start the regular season. On Friday, the Marlins received the news of their first positive test, then had three more on Saturday night, but all three games against the Phillies were played. By Monday, MLB knew he was dealing with widespread contagion in the Marlins, at least.
His travel group has not yet left Philadelphia and those who tested positive were kidnapped in a hotel separate from the others. MLB will determine how long the Marlins must remain in Philadelphia. Miami will not play before Monday and, in the meantime, it has been struggling to add veterans like Logan Forsythe and Mike Morin to the group at its satellite facility. The Marlins will have to replace more than half of their team before playing their next game, which will put them at a substantial competitive disadvantage.
Don Mattingly, after Sunday’s win over the Phillies, is the last top team official to answer journalists’ questions and it was before the scale of the problem was recognized. CEO Derek Jeter released a statement on Monday acknowledging that “now we have experienced challenges once we hit the road and get out of Miami.”
As of Tuesday morning, no Phillies player or coach had tested positive and, like the Marlins, they are now being evaluated daily. The Phillies will not play before Saturday.
