The MLB seems to be struggling to practice safe COVID-19 protocols. 17 players and 2 coaches from the Miami Marlins have now tested positive for the virus and at least 5 members of the St. Louis Cardinals have tests still pending. The MLB decided on a 60 game season with no fans, yet inter-organizational health protocols must remain as players and staff are still at risk no matter where they are. The MLB does not seem to be taking a strong enough stand on this issue as they have only postponed or canceled a few games. Other than that, not much else is getting done and that falls on MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
The New York Mets recently had quite a situation on their plate. On Sunday, the Mets had a game against the Atlanta Braves in which LF and slugger Yoenis Cespedes just decided not to show up to the game. The Mets had no idea where he was and neither did any of his teammates. It was revealed after the game that Cespedes had packed up all his stuff and left. He had decided to opt-out of the 2020 MLB season as players from all around the world in all sports have begun doing due to COVID-19. The news came from Cespedes’s agent after the Mets’ loss to the braves.
If the MLB and Rob Manfred do not implement a plan similar to the one that the NBA has in place where they can continue the season with little to no COVID cases then they might end up having to stop the season midway or postpone it as the Marlins are posing a real danger to the entire league along with other teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals that are slowly showing signs of the virus making its way through their organization. The MLB has to take a stand and come up with a plan before many more coaches and players get infected and the situation gets even worse.
