The streak of a Major League Baseball game not being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic ends at one day. Hours before their game against the Marlins in Miami, the New York Mets received news of multiple positive tests.
There’s now only been one day since July 24 that has seen a full slate of action around MLB without one postponement due to COVID-19.
The backdrop is rather obvious here. And it’s alarming.
New York defeated the Marlins in South Beach by the score of 5-3 on Wednesday. This means a Marlins squad that had the first outbreak of the virus was in close proximity to the most-recent positive COVID-19 case around the baseball world.
It’s not yet known who tested positive. But as we have seen over the first few weeks of the truncated 2020 season, it’s highly unlikely that this outbreak within the Mets’ organization stops with just two individuals.
The Mets are set to return home and take on the New York Yankees for a three-game series starting Friday. That series is now obviously in jeopardy, too.
Is 2020 MLB season now in jeopardy?
From a broader perspective, this creates a major issue as MLB looks to finish its truncated 2020 season. It was just this past weekend that the St. Louis Cardinals returned to the diamond after two-plus weeks of inaction. Their schedule is going to be downright crazy over the final five weeks of the season. The same can be said for the Marlins themselves.
It was noted recently that MLB is looking to play the postseason in a bubble, like we’re seeing with the NBA. That makes sense in that the Association has not had a positive COVID-19 test within the Walt Disney World bubble in a month. Although, MLB needs to actually get to the playoffs in September before it can even think about playing in a bubble.
It’s not looking great right now.