Two Phillies staffers test positive for coronavirus, extending baseball’s problems

Two staff members for the Philadelphia Phillies received positive test results for COVID-19 on Wednesday, extending Major League Baseball’s coronavirus problems as teams attempt to navigate the abbreviated season.

“The Phillies have received the results of yesterday’s testing. While no players tested positive for Covid-19, there were two staff members that did test positive,” according to a statement from the team on Thursday.

“All activity at Citizens Bank Park has been cancelled today and until further notice,” the statement added, noting that one infected member was on the coaching staff, and the other was on home clubhouse staff.

The Phillies had hosted the Miami Marlins – the first MLB team to see a coronavirus outbreak – last weekend.

According to the New York Post, MLB is investigating the causes of the Marlins outbreak as the team has reported 17 players and two coaches tested positive.

Four Marlins players reportedly tested positive ahead of Sunday’s game.

“All I can tell you is that there was plenty of communication before that game,” Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said at a press briefing Wednesday. “There were others at the league level who knew about the positive test before we did. So the determination was made at that point that it was safe.”

The Phillies were slated to have a four-game series against the Yankees this week but that was postponed even before the tests came back. The team will now push back the three games scheduled for this weekend in Philadelphia against the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays were initially intended to be the “home” team in the series. However, the Canadian government denied the team’s approval to play games in Toronto this year, citing the surge of COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S.