NEW YORK (AFP) – The Philadelphia Phillies have called off all activities at Citizens Bank Park indefinitely, wiping out a weekend Major League Baseball series against Toronto, after a coach and clubhouse attendant tested positive for COVID-19.
The Major League Baseball club has not played since Sunday when the Phillies played host to the Miami Marlins, who have had a coronavirus outbreak and remain isolated in a Philadelphia hotel.
”This really sucks,” Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutcheon tweeted after Thursday’s team workout was wiped out.
Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo confirmed a planned Saturday doubleheader and Sunday game in Philadelphia were also off.
”All activity at Citizens Bank Park has been cancelled today and until further notice,” the Phillies said in a statement.
The Phillies, who had a road clubhouse attendant test positive for COVID-19, announced Thursday that a member of the home clubhouse staff and a member of the coaching staff have tested positive as well.
Testing was done on Wednesday.
No Phillies players have tested positive for the deadly virus, which caused MLB to delay the start of its season from March to last Thursday and shrink it from 162 games per club to only 60.
Philadelphia wiped out scheduled games this week against the New York Yankees in the wake of the Marlins’ outbreak, which reportedly has now grown to 17 players and two coaches.
There was concern about the Yankees using the same visitors’ locker room that had been occupied by the virus-hit Marlins.
The Phillies later became concerned about positive tests at the ballpark and their potential exposure to COVID-19 during three home games against Miami.
