Phillies’ aide, 16 Marlins test positive
Visiting clubhouse attendant now part of COVID-19 scare
Acoronavirus outbreak on another team has left the Phillies idle for five days, aiming to return to play a doubleheader that could entail seven-inning games and scheduling a new opponent next week.
One employee who works in the visiting clubhouse has tested positive for the coronavirus following a season-opening series against the Marlins in Philadelphia last weekend, but all Phillies players and on-field staff tested negative for a second straight day, general manager Matt Klentak said Wednesday.
Sixteen players for the Marlins have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the test results were not announced.
Major League Baseball has suspended the Marlins’ season through Sunday and created a patchwork schedule affecting four other teams, including the Phillies, while the Marlins deal with their outbreak. Two Marlins staff members also have tested positive in recent days.
“Coming into this summer season, we all recognized this season would present a lot of challenges and all parties involved were going to need to be flexible,” Klentak said.
Kelly suspended for dust-up: Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended for eight games by MLB, a day after throwing a fastball near the head of the Astros’ Alex Bregman and mockingly taunting Astros star Carlos Correa.
Benches cleared after Kelly’s actions during the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 5-2 win at Minute Maid Park. The game marked the first time the teams had met since it was revealed the Astros stole signs en route to a 2017 World Series title that came at the Dodgers’ expense.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was suspended one game and Astros manager Dusty Baker was fined an undisclosed amount.
Doubleheader considerations: While the Indians swept the White Sox in the first doubleheader of the season on Tuesday, union head Tony Clark called Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem and said players might want to consider shortened twinbills this year.
The players’ association is surveying members and may propose either two seven-inning games for a twinbill of nine innings for the opener and seven for the nightcap.
MLB is checking opinions at the owner and general manager levels, and staff hopes for a decision by Saturday to make a change or leave the rules the way the are.
Extra innings: Former Mets SS Jose Reyes has retired from baseball, almost two years after playing his final game. Reyes, 37, made the announcement on Twitter. Reyes hit .283 with 145 homers, 719 RBIs and 517 stolen bases. ... Nationals OF Juan Soto is still waiting on to be cleared to play by the city government after getting the OK from MLB to return from the COVID-19 injured list. ... John McNamara, who managed the Red Sox to within one strike of a World Series victory in 1986 before an unprecedented collapse on the field extended the team’s championship drought into the new millennium, has died. He was 88. ... Gerrit Cole (2-0) gave up three runs and four hits in 6 innings to win his 18th straight decision — six short of Carl Hubbell’s record streak in the 1930s — in the Yankees’ 9-3 win over the Orioles. ... Brandon Woodruff allowed one hit and struck out 10 while working into the seventh inning as the Brewers beat the Pirates 3-0. Woodruff (1-1) retired 19 of 21 batters. ... Mike Moustakas and Nick Senzel homered in their returns from a COVID-19 scare, Nick Castellanos added a grand slam, and the Reds ended a four-game losing streak by beating the Cubs 12-7. The Cubs turned their first triple play in 23 years. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Kris Bryant made a diving grab of Shogo Akiyama’s line drive, tagged third base and threw to first, getting runners who left on contact. ... Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three on a four-hit night, leading the Braves to a 7-4 win over the Rays. ... Joey Gallo hit a tying, two-run homer to ignite a five-run eighth inning in the Rangers’ 7-4 win over the Diamondbacks.