How MLB Might Address Recent COVID-19 Positive Tests in Planning for 2020 Season

Among other things, MLB could reconsider playing its season in an isolated "bubble" location after recent COVID-19 tests within the sport.

As Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association continue their back-and-forth negotiations to get the 2020 season underway, a rise in coronavirus cases in Florida has thrown another stumbling block into the equation.

According to Jared Diamond and Ben Cohen of the Wall Street Journal, 11 players from 40-man rosters of seven teams have tested positive for COVID-19 this month. The identities of the seven teams are not known, but two are reportedly in Texas, four train in Florida and one trains in Arizona.

Current negotiations between the league and the MLBPA would have the season played at teams' home stadiums without fans. But now, according to the Journal, officials could reconsider the idea of playing the season in an isolated "bubble" location, with players, coaches and staff all sequestered together.

On Friday, the Phillies announced they had shut down the team's training facility in Clearwater, Fla., after eight people (five players, three staff members) tested positive. There are still 32 people awaiting test results. The Blue Jays also shut down their facilities in Dunedin, Florida, after a player displayed symptoms consistent with COVID-19, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

As a result of the closures, MLB is considering closing all 30 camps to cleanse and re-establish a regular testing system for players when they return, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Currently, there is no firm protocol for players working out at team facilities.

The NBA, which is scheduled to resume its season on July 30 in Orlando, released its 113-page health and safety protocol last week. Its guidelines range from required COVID-19 testing, magicbands, entertainment, social distancing guidelines and game day schedules. 

These developments come as Central Florida experiences a surge in coronavirus cases. The number of cases in Orange County has risen over 650% in the past two weeks, which led to the county's mayor to mandate face coverings in public places starting on Saturday. The county's positive test rate, which was around 2% two weeks ago, has risen to 15% on Thursday, according to the Florida health department.