Significant news across MLB:Â Verlander out for the year? Marlins infected with the coronavirus and more make MLB headlines.
Miami Marlins have a “clear virus outbreak”
The Miami Marlins learned yesterday that hey had their fourth positive test since Friday, signaling an unacceptable team infection rate. Disregarding leading infectious disease doctors, why did the Marlins go ahead and play the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday? It presents a pause by the New York Yankees who play the Phillies tonight. Where any of the Philly players infected coming in contact with Marlins that may not have exhibited symptoms?
Multiple sources confirmed that the Marlins played despite having three players learn Sunday that they’d tested positive for COVID-19, just two days after a fourth player learned of a positive test on Friday. The Athletic confirmed Sunday that two infectious-disease specialists told them that those positive tests fit the definition of a “clear outbreak†of the virus within their team.
Nonetheless, neither the Marlins nor MLB though it would be necessary to postpone the game. However, as of this morning, eight players and two coaches have tested positive. They have canceled their game with the Baltimore Orioles. The Miami Marlins may be the first team shut down by the coronavirus.
“I think that by any definition, this is an outbreak on their team,†said Dr. John Swartzburg, a clinical professor emeritus at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, Division of Infectious Disease. “And an outbreak on a team means that the team needs to close down.â€
“Earlier, in (summer camp), if you didn’t have test results, you didn’t practice,†said Dr. Zachary Binney, an epidemiologist at Emory University’s Oxford College. “So to have four positive results and then play a game just seems totally unaligned with that.â€
Several positive tests usually mean that more will be forthcoming. Let’s hope that none of the Phillies that previously had the virus we again subjected to it. As it will be the whole season, it’s sure to be in the minds of the Yankees tonight.
Houston Astros Verlander out for the season?
The Houston Astros pitching rotation is in ruins now. First, the Astros lose pitching co-ace Gerrit Cole to the New York Yankees during the offseason, and now the other ace Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander is lost to a forearm strain. The Houston Chronicle reports that he will be out for the season, something manager Dusty Baker and Verlander himself denies.
Baker said we have shut him down for two weeks and then will reevaluate the situation. Verlander echoed the sentiment saying is just a forearm strain and it will heal. Whether he is shut down to two weeks or the whole season is not all that important in this short season. Missing three to five starts for Verlander is a huge blow to the team in such a short season.
Even with pitchers Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr., and Jose Urquidi, the loss of Cole and Verlander certainly reduces the Astros hopes of reaching the postseason.
Corey Kluber Leaves Rangers Debut After 1 Inning
Unfortunately, the Astros are not the only American League West ball club dealing with an injury to a key pitcher. Corey Kluber was removed from his Texas Rangers debut after the first inning because of “tightness in the back of his right shoulder”, per Rangers executive vice president of communications Jonn Blake.
But the timing of the Kluber injury hurts more with Verlander sidelined since that could have opened a door for Texas to pounce in the AL West with Kluber, Minor, and former Yankee Lance Lynn at the top of the rotation.
The COVID-19 virus looms over 2020 season
The coronavirus remains a major issue in baseball, in all of the sports, really. That’s where the worry comes in. What started as an encouraging weekend, when MLB announced only six positive tests out of nearly 11,000 samples, quickly took a frightening turn. The sport is facing a major challenge.
It started when Washington Nationals star outfielder Juan Soto had to miss the weekend series against the New York Yankees after testing positive Tuesday. The problem was he played in an exhibition game that night against the Baltimore Orioles before the test results came back Thursday. How many other players and staff members were at risk because of Soto?
Now the Miami Marlins found they had four positive tests on Sunday. Yesterday afternoon the Marlins played the Philadelphia Phillies possibly exposing them from asymptomatic players. Tonight the Yankees face those Philadelphia Phillies. The season was starting out well, over the weekend the infection rate had doubled. One thing we know about the virus is that it has a domino effect. The more players exposed, the more that will test positive, being into question if this 60 game season will be completed.