Phillies: Coronavirus outbreak puts MLB negotiations in perspective

Recent reports of an outbreak in Phillies camp should really put things in perspective.

As MLB players and owners continue their fight over dollars and cents, they most certainly forgot about the elephant in the room. You know, the thing that shut the sport down, putting them in this position in the first place: COVID-19.

First reported by Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia, five Phillies players have tested positive for coronavirus while at the team’s training facilities in Clearwater, Florida.

Since that story was published, three more cases involving staff members have been reported. The Phillies have released a statement (above) confirming Salisbury’s report and including that 8 other staff members tested negative for COVID-19.

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Another 32 players and staff who live near the facilities are awaiting test results, per the Phillies statement.

Later, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Toronto Blue Jays shut down their facilities in Dunedin, Florida after one of their players “exhibited COVID-19 symptoms.”

In the NHL, according to Diana C. Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times,  the Tampa Bay Lightning also had multiple players test positive for the novel coronavirus, leading the organization to close down the arena and start contact tracing.

All of these facilities are within 45-minutes of one another.

In recent weeks, Florida has become something of a hotbed for the virus. Some outlets have even declared the state the next epicenter of the novel coronavirus as cases have skyrocketed to 85,9256 this week.

These recent developments really help to put things in perspective in regards to the ongoing MLB negotiations. As both sides try their hardest to tarnish the other’s image in the court of public opinion, coronavirus waits on the sidelines, looking for an opportunity to shut the sport down after it starts.