New York Mets sidelined after positive COVID tests

A New York Mets player and a New York Mets staffer tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, resulting in the Mets game against the Miami Marlins yesterday being postponed. The Mets game tonight against the New York Yankees has also been postponed.

It seems likely that the games Saturday and Sunday against the Yankees will also be postponed, given how MLB has handled positive tests recently, though that remains to be seen. When the Cincinnati Reds had a positive test earlier this month, they were sidelined for four days, as there were not additional positives that emerged. If the Mets do not have any more positive tests through the weekend, we could see them play a doubleheader against the Yankees on Monday, since both teams are off that day.

While there will no doubt be brainiacs in the comments who insist that this is stupid, and that MLB is overreacting and that the Mets should play, the reality is that given the fact that there is a lag time between someone being infected and them testing positive, and the fact that there is a real possibility more members of the Mets are currently carrying COVID-19 who haven’t tested positive yet, MLB’s decision to postpone games is what has been recommended by the experts in this field. While the possibility of passing the virus on to someone on the other team is low, due to the limited interactions and the fact that they are playing outside, the chances of it spreading among teammates, who are in closer contact, in the clubhouse together, etc., is significant. By putting games on hold and having players and staffers isolate, it can be determined if anyone else is infected, and ensure that the outbreak is halted before players and staffers resume being around each other.

UPDATE — MLB has officially postponed the Mets/Yankees games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.