Cardinals-Tigers series postponed, St. Louis' COVID-19 outbreak reaches 13
A total of seven players and six staff members within the St. Louis Cardinals organization have tested positive for COVID-19, Major League Baseball announced Monday, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
The league added that the Cardinals will remain in Milwaukee and won't travel to Comerica Park to start a series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. The four-game set has been postponed.
Meanwhile, MLB reportedly canceled its Field of Dreams game, which would've seen St. Louis take on the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 13 in Dyersville, Iowa.
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Monday he hopes the team can travel by Wednesday and that seven personnel have mild symptoms, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN. He added that the goal is to have the team work out Wednesday and Thursday and then host the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
"We're going to do everything we can to try to play (moving forward)," Mozeliak said, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. "The morale up here is good, all things considered. I do think people are tired of sitting in their room, but you've got to put safety first."
"At least a couple Cardinals" went to a casino prior to the outbreak that has sidelined the team since Friday, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
It's not known how many members of the organization visited the casino or who did so. MLB has since hardened its stance on leaving hotels, which is now not allowed after originally being strongly discouraged, reports Heyman.
"I have no factual reason to believe that is true, and I have not seen any proof of that," Mozeliak said of the reported outing, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. "If they were at a casino, though, that would be disappointing."
Mozeliak added that, after contact tracing, he is confident the outbreak originated in St. Louis, notes Mark Saxon of The Athletic.
It's believed the Miami Marlins also broke the league's COVID-19 protocols. Twenty-one members of the club reportedly tested positive, including 18 players.