MLB investigation says Marlins players went out, visited bars before coronavirus outbreak

The Miami Marlins were “very lapse” in following MLB’s safety protocols before a coronavirus outbreak hit the team, reports Scott Miller of Bleacher Report. That included going out while on the road in Atlanta and congregating in the hotel bar.

The news comes from MLB’s internal investigation into the Marlins outbreak, which has by Friday infected 21 players and staff members. The team’s season is paused, with infected players being bused back to Miami. Marlins games until Monday are postponed, but reports Friday indicate that the league isn’t sure they’ll return by then.

Meanwhile, commissioner Rob Manfred has warned the players union that the season could be shut down as soon as Friday if players don’t do a better job following league protocols — from the more egregious things like going out to bars, to on-the-field no-nos like high-fives and spitting.

In a way, baseball’s 60-game season is a telling experiment about running such a large operation during a pandemic. As the country grapples with the realities of coronavirus and debates things like the re-opening of schools and businesses, baseball is painting a harsh picture: The virus can spread quickly, even with 110 pages of well-intentioned protocols like MLB has.

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