Four additional Miami Marlins players have tested positive for COVID-19, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Tuesday, citing sources.
Infielder Miguel Rojas, who was vocal about playing on Sunday despite health concerns surrounding the team, has tested positive, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
At least 17 members of the Marlins organization have now tested positive. The number of positive results on the team reportedly stood at 13 on Monday, apparently including 11 players and two coaches, following a weekend series with the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Major League Baseball postponed Miami's first home series of the season Monday. Two scheduled contests between the Phillies and New York Yankees have also been reportedly postponed while Philadelphia waits for more results.
No Phillies players or coaches tested positive in the most recent round of testing, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN. More tests will be done Tuesday in Philadelphia before the club travels to New York to play Wednesday, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
One scenario under discussion involves the Marlins and Phillies quarantining for an undetermined period, reports Rosenthal. He adds that the Yankees would travel to face the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday and Thursday, and Miami and Philadelphia would make up the postponed games later in the campaign.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday that he didn't put the Marlins' outbreak in the "nightmare category" and noted that expanded rosters were put in place for such situations. Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci echoed a similar sentiment while also warning that the outbreak should be monitored closely.
"This could put it (the season) in danger," Fauci said Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America." "I don't believe they need to stop, but we just need to follow this and see what happens with other teams on a day-by-day basis."
He added: "Major League Baseball - the players, the owners, the managers - have put a lot of effort into getting together and putting protocols that we feel would work. It's very unfortunate what happened."
