MLB News: Dr. Fauci and Commissioner Manfred on the COVID crisis

After the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies game was canceled yesterday, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Rob Manfred have both spoken out on the coronavirus outbreak that has affected the Miami Marlins who had their game with Baltimore canceled as well.  The Marlins over the weekend had 14 staff, including two crew test positive for the coronavirus.  Both the Phillies and the Marlins have been tested, and results have yet to be released.

Dr. Fauci on Good Morning America this morning talked about the virus outbreak. Fauci is the leading infectious disease expert in the country.

“Major League Baseball — the players, the owners, the managers — have put a lot of effort into getting together and putting protocols that we feel would work,” Fauci said. “It’s very unfortunate what happened with the Miami (Marlins).”

On the MLB Network baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred had this to say:

“Obviously, we don’t want any player to get exposed. It’s not a positive thing.” “But I don’t see it as a nightmare. … We think we can keep people safe and continue to play.”

“If the testing results are acceptable, the Marlins will resume play in Baltimore on Wednesday against the Orioles,” Manfred said.

Manfred said there are factors that would force MLB to alter plans.

“A team losing a number of players that rendered it completely non-competitive would be an issue that we would have to address and have to think about making a change,” he said. “Whether that was shutting down a part of the season, the whole season, that depends on the circumstances. Same thing with respect to league-wide. You get to a certain point league-wide where it does become a health threat, and we certainly would shut down at that point.”

The Nationals will face the Marlins over the weekend in Miami, and Nationals manager Davey Martinez is scared.  Martinez could be considered a person at high risk with existing conditions.  He missed time last season with heart issues.

“I’m going to be honest with you: I’m scared,” Martinez said. “My level of concern went from about an eight to a 12. I mean this thing really hits home now. … I got guys in our clubhouse that are really concerned, as well.”

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees await the test results of the Philadelphia Phillies so that they can decide on a path forward that may include having one or two doubleheaders at Yankee Stadium to get in the four-game series before the face the Boston Red Sox.