Coach, staff worker test positive for virus

All things coronavirus continue to get worse for the Phillies.

With their schedule a wreck thanks to exposure to infected members of the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park last weekend, the Phillies were in the midst of an unplanned five-day break before commencing a doubleheader against Toronto on Saturday that was billed as a road game but was to be played at home.

Now that Blue Jays series has been postponed and the Phillies’ schedule in general has been put in jeopardy as a coach and another staff worker for the club have tested positive for the virus.

According to a tweet on the Phillies’ media account, no players have tested positive during daily checks this week. However, one of the team’s coaches, who shall not be named, and a home clubhouse staff worker did test positive Thursday and the team immediately shut down all activities at Citizens Bank Park until further notice.

When the Phillies will next play is anyone’s guess. Or it might be MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s business to tell them.

In testing that began Sunday and has continued this week as the Marlins have been self-quarantined at a Philadelphia hotel, the count is now 17 Miami players and two team coaches have tested positive, according to an ESPN report.

The Marlins have canceled full series against the Orioles and Nationals through Sunday. Their next scheduled game comes Tuesday in Miami – against the Phillies.

That will almost certainly be wiped out or at least impacted one way or another.

The Phillies’ exposure to the virus might only now be manifesting into positive test results, which means the team could go the Marlins route; the possibility of a growing number of staff, coaches and even players quarantined instead of available for any games, if or when they might get played.

Such quarantines could typically go for two weeks depending on the level of exposure.

As per their COVID-19 policy, the Phillies aren’t naming any of their positive test people. But general manager Matt Klentak confirmed Wednesday that pitching coach Bryan Price, who awoke last Saturday “not feeling well” and missed the last two games against the Marlins series, had recovered and had not tested positive for the virus. He was expected back at team workouts this week.

Now there will be no workouts.

Now there are no games officially scheduled until Tuesday in Miami.

Now there are no certainties of when, where or even if the Phillies will play again in 2020.