4 more Marlins players test positive for COVID-19

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was holding out hope for “acceptable” results from the latest round of COVID-19 tests conducted on the Marlins’ traveling party in Philadelphia. He didn’t get them: four more players have tested positive, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. The club’s 2020 season has been paused, as Marlins insider Craig Mish first reported, at least through the end of the week. Games that had been scheduled against the Orioles (Wednesday-Thursday) and Nationals (Friday-Sunday) will be postponed.

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Since Friday’s Opening Day, at least 15 Marlins players have tested positive for COVID-19. Jorge Alfaro, Garrett Cooper, Harold Ramirez and José Ureña were the first players to be publicly named as part of that group (all were recently placed on the injured list). Miguel Rojas also has the virus, according to Jon Heyman.

Meanwhile, no Phillies players tested positive despite sharing a field with the Marlins last weekend, according to ESPN.

With the expectation that competition could resume as soon as next Monday, the Marlins front office is turning over every rock to find major league-ready players, Heyman reports. They have claimed three pitchers off waivers—right-handers Mike Morin and Justin Shafer and left-hander Josh D. Smith.

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