Baseball Postpones Two Games Due to COVID-19 Outbreak

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Major League baseball took the first hit to its regular season start on Monday as two games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Florida Marlins’ July 27 home opener against the Orioles was postponed after at least 14 Marlins players and staff tested positive for the virus, according to reports.

 The Marlins played a weekend series in Philadelphia against the Phillies. The team currently remains in its Philadelphia hotel pending further tests.

RELATED: Marlins Game Canceled as Players Test Positive 

Monday night's New York Yankees-Philadelphia Phillies game was also postponed after the league decided not to bring another club into the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park following the Marlins, according to reports.

The news puts a damper on an otherwise successful start of the season for baseball. Thursday night’s opening game between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals set a record ratings record for ESPN, averaging 4 million viewers. 

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.