Five Phillies players, three staffers test positive for COVID-19, per report

Five Philadelphia Phillies players and three Phillies staffers, all of whom have been working at the Phillies’ spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida, have tested positive for COVID-19, per Jim Salisbury. Additional players and staffers are being tested, so this number could well grow in the coming days.

Salisbury says none of the infected individuals have been hospitalized.

Florida has seen a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in recent days, so an outbreak occurring among team members at a facility in Florida isn’t surprising. That being said, this is also a reminder that, while we have been primarily focusing on the financial disputes between MLB and the MLBPA regarding the playing of the 2020 season, the health issue is also looming.

The health impact on the players is critical, but there are also baseball-related issues that could come into play. We haven’t really talked about this issue, but what happens if, say, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a dozen players catch COVID-19 in early September? Are all the players going to have to self-isolate, whether they tested positive or not, and the Dodgers forfeit scheduled games? Would those games just not be played? Would they bring up minor leaguers to play those games?

Just one more thing to think about...