MLB postpones more games after Phillies staffers test positive for the coronavirus
The weekend series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays has been postponed, Major League Baseball announced Thursday. The announcement comes after the Phillies reported that two staff members had tested positive for the coronavirus.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the Philadelphia Phillies' three-game weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays, scheduled for Saturday, August 1st and Sunday, August 2nd at Citizens Bank Park, has been postponed," the league said in a statement.
In their own statement, the Phillies confirmed that a member of the coaching staff and a home clubhouse staffer have tested positive. "All activity at Citizens Bank Park has been cancelled today and until further notice," the team said.
The announcement comes after an outbreak of the virus among the Miami Marlins. More than a dozen players and staff members on the team, which faced off against the Phillies last week, have tested positive for the virus.
On Tuesday, the MLB postponed all Marlins games through Sunday. The league also postponed the Phillies-Yankees series scheduled for this week "out of an abundance of caution." The Yankees are now facing the Baltimore Orioles.
On Monday, Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters that owners had not yet considered canceling or suspending the season. "We expected we were going to have positives at some point in time," Manfred said. "I remain optimistic that the protocols are strong enough that it will allow us to continue to play."