The New York Mets will resume play Tuesday after having their past four games postponed because two members of their traveling party tested positive for the coronavirus. The player and staff member who tested positive experienced symptoms but are both feeling better, according to Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen.
Van Wagenen was asked Monday whether the team has an idea how and where the two infected individuals may have picked up the virus.
“We don’t,” Van Wagenen responded. “What we’re all learning is this virus has a lot more questions for us than answers. We do feel comfortable the spread [did] not come from player to player or coach to coach]. Our best guess is it came from some outside spot. But that’s all it is, a guess.”
Major League Baseball announced Monday that all of the Mets’ subsequent tests, including those taken Sunday, have been negative. The Mets were in Miami when their two employees tested positive. Four close contacts to those infected individuals were subsequently quarantined in South Florida while the rest of the team returned to New York. Those four were cleared and are returning to New York.
The Mets’ game Thursday in Miami and their weekend home series against the crosstown rival Yankees were postponed after the positive tests were announced Thursday.
“It was sobering,” Van Wagenen said of learning of the test results.
The Mets will play a doubleheader against the Marlins in New York on Tuesday. They will also make up games against the Yankees with doubleheaders on Friday and Sunday at Yankee Stadium, as well as a game on Sept. 3 at Citi Field. In all, the team will play nine games in six days to make up for the lost time.
“It’s a challenge, but this is a year that can’t be about excuses,” Van Wagenen said. “We are not the only team that’s faced adversity with scheduling.”
As policy, the Mets did not reveal the two individuals who tested positive.
