Podcast - MLB Postpones Marlins Games Due to COVID Outbreak, Deploys Contract Tracing

Gil, Tmac, and Bob Davidson get together for a news podcast episode as Major League Baseball postponed games after at least 14 Marlins players and coaches tested positive for COVID-19, following the team during its road trip in Philadelphia.

Umpires found themselves under COVID protocol, too.

As Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro was placed on Miami's injured list prior to the team's opening series against Philadelphia, umpire Marvin Hudson, who officiated behind home plate in Atlanta on July 22 when Jorge Alfaro and Chad Wallach served as Miami's catchers for the preseason exhibition vs Braves, similarly was kept off the field prior to his opening series between the Angels and Athletics in Oakland (Carlos Torres came in for Hudson in the middle of the 5th inning of that July 22 game and also officiated behind Alfaro for a frame before Alfaro was substituted out in the bottom of the 6th; Tom Woodring worked in place of Hudson on Opening Day in Oakland).

Marvin Hudson had a delayed 2020 debut.

If one were to also contact trace symptom-showing Braves catchers Tyler Flowers and Travis d'Arnaud, it would be wise to visit July 21's Marlins-Braves game with Dan Iassogna as plate umpire for part of the game, Paul Nauert for the remainder, and a field crew of umpires Mike Estabrook, Hudson, and Torres.

Conversely, if one traced Hudson's contacts, we'd find the same group of umpires from the Atlanta exhibitions.

As coronavirus spread through Miami's clubhouse during an opening series in Philadelphia, MLB opted to postpone both the Marlins' and Phillies' games Monday night. The umpires assigned to the Marlins-Phillies opening series were Ryan Blakney, Roberto Ortiz, DJ Reyburn, and Tim Timmons.

MIA Manager Don Mattingly "wears" a mask.

With coronavirus reportedly possessing an incubation period anywhere from two to 14 days, we'd find that a flurry of positive Marlins tests on July 26/27 could put contraction anywhere from July 11 to July 25, which would include the July 21 and 22 Marlins-Braves games, and explain Hudson's delayed opener in Oakland (Hudson sat out the first two games of the series, but did return to work).

In addition to Hudson in Oakland (with Adam Hamari, Brian Knight, and Mike Muchlinski), Iassogna served as crew chief during the Royals-Indians series (with Andy Fletcher, Tripp Gibson, and Ben May), Torres and Nauert were in New York-NL (Additon, Fairchild), and Estabrook did not officiate on the field until Monday, July 27, in Boston, with Mark Carlson, James Hoye, and Chad Whitson.

In addition to the Timmons crew, that's 14 umpires to trace, and potentially 21 if Estabrook was in Replay HQ over opening weekend.

 Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Weekly News Roundup - Bob Davidson, MLB's Positive Tests (CCS)