After almost two days of confusion, the New York Yankees have an updated schedule and will finally play baseball again on Wednesday.
The Miami Marlins have fallen victim to a COVID-19 outbreak, and the New York Yankees found themselves in the middle of it. However, after two days of chaos and confusion, MLB laid out a plan for the Yankees moving forward.
So far, 17 Marlins players have tested positive for COVID-19. The Marlins had just wrapped up their first series of the season, against the Phillies in Philadelphia, when it was announced that 14 players had tested positive on Monday.
The latest round of testing from the Miami Marlins found four new coronavirus positives, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN. That brings the total over the last five days to 17. @Ken_Rosenthal first reported the newest COVID-19 cases.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2020
The Yankees were scheduled to begin a four-game home-and-home series against the Phillies on Monday. They were set to play the first two games in Philadelphia before heading to the Bronx for the last two games.
The Marlins, meanwhile, were set to host the Baltimore Orioles on Monday and Tuesday as part of a home-and-home series, as well.
The Phillies were tested for COVID-19 and although the team had no positive test results on Tuesday, there is still some concern that they could test positive soon.
No Philadelphia Phillies players or coaches tested positive in the most recent batch of coronavirus tests, sources tell me and @JeffPassan.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) July 28, 2020
After almost two days of uncertainty, it was announced on Tuesday that the Yankees and Orioles will play two games on Wednesday and Thursday at Camden Yards.
Both teams will then go about their previously determined schedules with the Orioles remaining in Baltimore to host the Tampa Bay Rays and the Yankees heading home to New York to host their rivals, the Boston Red Sox.
The Phillies will be off until at least Friday, when they are set to travel to Buffalo, NY to take on the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Marlins were scheduled to begin a three-game series in Miami against the reigning champions Washington Nationals. However, per The Athletic, the majority of Nationals’ players voted against traveling to Miami.
In team vote, vast majority of Nationals players voted against going to Miami for three-game series this weekend, sources tell The Athletic. Decision will rest with MLB.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 28, 2020
According to ESPN, MLB has suspended all Marlins games until Sunday, and it is still unclear what will happen next.
Breaking: MLB has postponed all Marlins games through Sunday after the team's recent coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/7koIvtIdwB
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 28, 2020
Confirming various reports of this ever-changing schedule… Marlins now off until Monday, Phillies off until Friday, Yankees will play at Orioles Wednesday and Thursday.
— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) July 28, 2020
Where The Yankees Go From Here
After such disarray, Yankees fans are excited and relieved that the Bronx Bombers will be playing baseball very soon. Manager Aaron Boone spoke to the media and gave some pitching updates.
Ace pitcher Gerrit Cole will take the mound on Wednesday and veteran J.A. Happ will make his season debut on Thursday. Jordan Montgomery and Masahiro Tanaka are both expected to make their season debuts, as well, against the Red Sox over the weekend.
Tanaka’s first start of the year was delayed after he suffered a concussion in early July when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton during a team workout.
What the Marlins’ outbreak means for MLB as a whole, in the long run, is still unclear, but the fact that the show will go on for the Yankees, at least for now, is good news.
