MLB cancels Puerto Rico series amid Zika concerns

NEW YORK (AP) Zika virus concerns have forced the Pirates-Marlins series out of Puerto Rico, with baseball saying the two games will instead be played this month in Miami.

Major League Baseball and the players' union made the announcement Friday. Pittsburgh and Miami will meet May 30-31 at Marlins Park.

The union had asked Commissioner Rob Manfred to relocate the games after several players expressed fears about getting and possibly transmitting the Zika virus.

"After discussing the issue with all involved parties, and consulting with federal and Puerto Rican government officials at the highest levels, commissioner Manfred decided that the players who objected to the trip because of their specific family situations should not be forced to travel to Puerto Rico," read the joint statement released Friday. "Because too many regulars on both clubs fell into that category, commissioner Manfred had no choice but to relocate the games."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said Zika can cause a birth defect called microcephaly, where infants are born with unusually small heads. The virus is most often spread by mosquito bites, but it also can be spread through sexual intercourse.

The CDC had spoken to players and staff from the Pirates and Marlins about the potential risks.

Pittsburgh and the Marlins were originally scheduled to play the series in Miami when the original draft of the schedule was made last year. On Nov. 19, MLB said the games would be played in Puerto Rico, the homeland of Pirates Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente and many other big leaguers.

MLB has played several regular-season games at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan in the past.