COVID-19 strikes as entire Mets-Nats series called off
The entire season-opening three-game series between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets was called off on Friday because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the 2019 World Series champions, who had four players test positive and another five quarantining after contact tracing.
The Nationals announced the postponement of games scheduled for today and Sunday at their stadium. That news came a day after Thursday night’s opener was scratched just hours before it was supposed to begin.
“We’re in crisis management mode,” Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said in a video call with reporters Friday.
More than a third of the 26-man roster submitted for opening day is affected by the outbreak and wouldn’t be able to play at this point. Rizzo said players who didn’t make the team will get called up from the Nationals’ training site in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
A total of four players have tested positive and another five are under quarantine after contact tracing determined they potentially could have been exposed, too. A staff member is also in quarantine.
Rizzo has not identified any of the players involved — and said he will not.
The Nationals did not report a single positive COVID-19 test throughout their six-week spring training camp that ended at the start of this week. The team flew from Florida to Washington on Monday; the first positive of the current outbreak came from testing that day. ORIOLES 3, RED SOX 0 >> John Means pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, allowing a single to lead off the game and retiring the last 18 batters he faced to lead Baltimore over Boston in their rain-delayed opener at Fenway Park.
Means struck out five and allowed just two baserunners — the other on an error — earning the win when Ryan Mountcastle doubled in two runs in the sixth to break a scoreless tie.
Means allowed a single to Red Sox leadoff hitter Kiké Hernández, then picked him off first.
RAYS 6, MARLINS 4 >> Joey Wendle hit a threerun homer, highlighting a four-run rally in the ninth inning that sent visiting Tampa Bay over Miami.
Wendle’s one-out shot off closer Anthony Bass landed in the upper deck in right field and erased a 4-2 deficit. Manuel Margot then tripled and scored on Francisco Mejia’s sacrifice fly.
Margot also homered and Austin Meadows went deep for the second consecutive game. The Rays edged the Marlins 1-0 on opening day Thursday on Meadows’ homer.