Zika concerns may nix Puerto Rico play

MIAMI — Concern about the health risks to players and their families from the Zika virus has put the Miami Marlins’ upcoming trip to Puerto Rico in jeopardy.

Pitcher Tom Koehler, the Marlins’ player representative, said the team has voted and made its preference known through the union about whether to travel to the island for games against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 30-31.

He declined to disclose how the team voted but said a decision is expected to come from Major League Baseball and the players’ union by the end of this week.

Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday that Marlins and Pirates players are in favor of moving the games from San Juan to Miami and that MLB is unlikely to oppose their wishes.

Koehler said the Marlins took a vote after hearing a presentation from Center for Disease Control personnel this past weekend in Milwaukee that underscored the seriousness of the mosquitoborne illness.

His remarks conveyed that player concern was elevated by what they were told.

Zika has been linked to one death in Puerto Rico and is known to cause birth defects among babies born to Zika-infected mothers.

“The information was more shocking to both sides,” Koehler said. “The MLB and the players association and the players involved saw the presentation from the CDC. When everybody in the room sees it visually and hears it, it does maybe alter the decision a little bit.

“What was shocking — maybe shocking isn’t the correct word — there was a lot more information and data and numbers thrown our way that we didn’t have.”

Koehler said the meeting included precautions that should be taken if the teams do play the games in Puerto Rico, including recommendations that players stay in their hotel rooms as much as possible, spray in exposed areas and keep skin covered as much as possible.

“They told people if they had a pregnant spouse, that spouse should not go on the trip,” Koehler said.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly said he is confident that MLB will act in the best interest of the teams.

“You’re always concerned about your players’ health and safety,” he said. “I trust the union and MLB is not going to put anybody in a position that’s dangerous.”

The games scheduled for historic Hiram Bithorn Stadium are considered Marlins home games as part of a four-game series with the Pirates, including June 1-2 at Marlins Park.

Regarding how the team will react if the decision is to go ahead with the trip, Koehler said, “That’s something we’ll have to see. I can’t talk about how other people in here feel.”

The series is important to Puerto Rico baseball officials, with the May 31 game a celebration of Roberto Clemente Day in honor of the Puerto Rico native and Hall of Fame outfielder who played for the Pirates and died in a 1972 crash of a plane delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

The Marlins have played three series in Puerto Rico, most recently in 2010.