The confrontation between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball was suspended this Tuesday for the second day in a row due to the coronavirus outbreak in the Miami Marlins, where cases continue to grow, US media reported.
The postponement, which at the moment has not been announced by Major League Baseball, was decided as a precaution while they conduct coronavirus tests on members of the Phillies, who played the Marlins three times over the weekend, ESPN noted. .
With the suspension of the games between the Yankees and the Phillies on Monday and this Tuesday, there are four games postponed by the Marlins case since the Major League season started just last Thursday.
The other games postponed were the duels between the Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles on Monday and Tuesday.
The Marlins squad continues to be tested for coronavirus and, according to ESPN, in the last few hours another four players tested positive, increasing the number of infections to 15 players and two technicians.
In contrast, so far none of the tests of members of the Phillies have come back positive, ESPN noted.
The 2020 Major League Baseball season, which should have started in March but was postponed due to the pandemic, kicked off Thursday with the regular schedule shortened from 162 to 60 games played behind closed doors.
Medical experts have questioned whether Major League Baseball, which declined to host a single “bubble” venue like the NBA or MLS, can ensure the safety of the competition with teams traveling and playing almost daily in the United States, a country where The coronavirus pandemic is expanding with more than 4.3 million coronavirus cases and more than 148,000 deaths.
On Tuesday, Anthony Fauci, the United States’ top infectious disease specialist and White House adviser, said the outbreak in the Marlins “could put the season at risk” but said he does not believe a suspension is necessary at the moment.
“I don’t think they need to stop, but we have to follow this and see what happens to other teams on a day-to-day basis,” Fauci said on “Good Morning America”.
“It is very unfortunate what happened with the Miami (Marlins) (…) The Major Leagues, the players, the owners, the managers have put a lot of effort in putting together and putting in place protocols that we think would work,” said Fauci. AFP (HN)