The Washington Nationals will not travel to Miami, FL, to play the Miami Marlins this weekend.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, who first reported the story, the Nationals held a player vote and a vast majority of the team voted against traveling to Florida in an unprecedented move.
In team vote, vast majority of Nationals players voted against going to Miami for three-game series this weekend, sources tell The Athletic. Decision will rest with MLB.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 28, 2020
The team’s decision comes as the Marlins were forced to postpone their games against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday and Tuesday due to an outbreak of coronavirus on their team. The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies also canceled their game on Monday night.
According to Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez, only one player voted to play.
Dave Martinez says there was one guy who wanted to play in Miami this weekend — but other than that, it was a near-unanimous decision to tell MLB they did not want to travel to Florida.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) July 28, 2020
15 Marlins players, including superstar Miguel Rojas, have tested positive for COVID-19, possibly putting the MLB season or the Marlins’ continuing this year in jeopardy.
Can confirm that a majority of Nationals players have voted against traveling to Miami this weekend for a series against the Marlins. MLB will ultimately decide whether those games go on as scheduled.
First to report: @Ken_Rosenthal
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) July 28, 2020
Right now the MLB is discussing a plan where they switch the schedule and the Orioles and Yankees play each other now during the downtime as both teams have had no positive tests.
It’s unclear what the MLB will do with the Marlins as they are unlikely to be able to play in the immediate future safely.
Teams are discussing Yankees going to Baltimore for games Wednesday and Thursday to take place of Marlins. Yankees and O’s, bystanders only Marlins situation, are trying to get creative and make up games. Needs player approval of course.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 28, 2020
Marlins appear unlikely to play their scheduled games in Baltimore Wednesday and Thursday. Waiting on next steps.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) July 28, 2020
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke about the outbreak on the MLB Network Monday. He said, after a phone call with owners, the league is not considering shuttering the 60-game shortened season yet.
“No, there really wasn’t (any talk of that),” Manfred said. “We talked about the situation. I think most of the owners realize that we built protocols anticipating that we would have positive tests at some point during the season. The protocols were built in order to allow us to continue to play through those positives. I think there was support for the notion that we believe that the protocols are adequate to keep our players safe.”
Watch Commissioner Manfred's entire interview with Tom Verducci on MLB Tonight. pic.twitter.com/oAyJ1NoEyk
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 27, 2020
The report comes a day after Davey Martinez revealed, in an honest talk to reporters, that “I’m scared, I really am.”
"I'm going to be honest with you, I'm scared, I really am" – Davey Martinez, who had a heart procedure last year, after today's Marlins coronavirus news @nbcwashington #Nats pic.twitter.com/JkG54dx1jz
— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) July 27, 2020
He added that his level of concern about the season “went from about an eight to a 12” on a scale of 10 about COVID-19. Martinez had a heart procedure last year during the season.
#Nats manager Davey Martinez on the Marlins COVID outbreak: "My level of concern went from about an 8 to a 12" @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/C9qQ44FZPV
— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) July 27, 2020
Earlier Tuesday, the Nationals also grappled with an active shooter situation near the ballpark.
More details here via @phscoop: Police say an apparent suicide occurred in the 100 block of O Street SE, near Nationals Park, at about 12:50 p.m.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) July 28, 2020
2:55 PM Update: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that the Miami Marlins are “temporarily postponing their 2020 Major League Baseball season.”
The Miami Marlins 2020 season at least temporarily, has been paused. This will allow the team to continue to monitor health and safety of players.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) July 28, 2020
3:08 PM Update: The MLB has postponed all Marlins games through Sunday, including the Nats’ three-game series against them.
MLB officially announces that Marlins games have been postponed through this coming Sunday. The Nationals were scheduled to travel to Miami this weekend, though players were against going (as articulated by a team vote Monday evening).
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) July 28, 2020
