With Saturday’s Cardinal-Brewers game canceled due to more positive COVID-19 tests, the immediate future of the St. Louis Cardinals’ season is in jeopardy.
According to several sources, which include Bleacher Report, ESPN, and USA Today, the St. Louis Cardinals-Milwaukee Brewers game for Saturday has been canceled. This news came after reports of additional positive tests came to light for the Cardinals. Craig Mish had tweeted the number of positives had risen to five, while Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the number was four to six.
Depending on who you follow on Twitter or Facebook, the number includes both players and members of the team staff. After the news on Friday that two pitchers had tested positive, the total number of positives are either six or as many eight members of the Cardinals traveling company.
As I am writing this, it’s unclear when Saturday’s game will be made up and Sunday’s doubleheader would have to be in doubt. Therefore, with this news, you have to wonder how this already shortened MLB season will continue.
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Per CBS Sports, Commissioner Rob Manfred told MLB Players Association head, Tony Clark, on Friday that the league could be shut down due to COVID-19 if infections continue to rise over the next coming days. The belief is this weekend will go along way in ‘determining the viability of the 60-game season.’
Additionally, ESPN’s Keith Olbermann reported that multiple sources have reported MLB has warned TV outlets to have alternate programming available by Monday. In other words, the current baseball season may only last for another 48 hours.
Already, with the season a little over a week old, there has already been a substantial outbreak with the Miami Marlins and now the Cardinals are forced to postpone games also. This has resulted in six teams, or 20 percent of the league, having 15 games postponed due to COVID-19 related issues so far.
On Saturday, Rob Manfred said there is “no reason to quit now.” It seems the season isn’t as imminently in danger as some would think.
Time is running out on Major League Baseball for 2020. I’m not sure who is at fault, the players, or if the protocols set by MLB are just unrealistic. Either way, the amount of time to work out these issues is growing short…almost too short now.