MLB Postpones Two Games, Including Yankees vs. Phillies, But Season Continuing For Now

The Major League Baseball game between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies scheduled for Monday night has been postponed. The announcement comes shortly after the Miami Marlins’ home opener was postponed amid reports that a dozen players had tested positive for the coronavirus since Friday.

“Tonight’s scheduled games between the Miami Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles at Marlins Park and the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park have been postponed while Major League Baseball conducts additional COVID-19 testing,” the league said in a statement.

“The members of the Marlins’ traveling party are self-quarantining in place while awaiting the outcome of those results. Major League Baseball has been coordinating with the Major League Baseball Players Association; the Marlins; the Orioles; the Marlins’ weekend opponent, the Phillies; and Club medical staffs, and will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”

The Yankees were set to visit Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park, where the Marlins completed a three-game series Sunday.

New York was told that the visitors’ clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park was disinfected several times when the contest was still scheduled, according to ESPN. The Yankees reportedly sent their own clubhouse personnel to Philadelphia as opposed to using staff that had been in the ballpark during the weekend.

Heard #Marlins #Phillies personnel were re-tested today/results expected tonight or tmrw morn. At moment only Mia personnel have positives. If #Phillies don’t show positives tmrw good chance they host #Yankees on Tuesday. Much more unlikely Marlins play tmrw regardless of results
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 27, 2020

Since the outbreak has been confined to the Marlins thus far, there’s been no serious discussion at this point about pausing/suspending the season. Marlins-Orioles game tonight is canceled and Phillies-Yankees game may well be canceled as well. But that’s it to this point.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 27, 2020

Because the outbreak has been confined to the Marlins thus far, MLB has yet to seriously consider pausing the entire season, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. The league is scheduled to hold a call with owners from all 30 teams Monday afternoon, according to The New York Post.

A few weeks prior to Opening Day, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said on “The Dan Patrick Show” an outbreak that forces one or two teams to miss a significant number of games could potentially halt the season.