As global concerns escalate about the Zika virus in Puerto Rico, Major League Baseball and its players' union announced Friday that it would be taking no chances. Their upcoming series in Puerto Rico, set to feature the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins on May 30 and 31, has officially been postponed.
Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan has been thoroughly covering this story and reported on Tuesday that officials were close to calling off the series. On Friday afternoon, that became official, as MLB moved the games to Miami. Per a joint announcement from MLB and the the Players Association:
The Players Association requested that Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. relocate the games after numerous players expressed concerns about contracting and potentially transmitting the Zika virus to their partners. Players and staff of both Clubs received full briefings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) science staff regarding the risks associated with the Zika virus, and the recommended precautions for travelers including those with partners who are pregnant or attempting to conceive. After discussing the issue with all involved parties, and consulting with federal and Puerto Rican government officials at the highest levels, Commissioner Manfred decided that the players who objected to the trip because of their specific family situations should not be forced to travel to Puerto Rico. Because too many regulars on both Clubs fell into that category, Commissioner Manfred had no choice but to relocate the games.
Commissioner Manfred and the MLBPA fully understand the disappointment by those in Puerto Rico to the relocation of the games. MLB and the Players Association did everything possible to adequately address the concerns raised by players and still play the games in Puerto Rico, but despite extensive efforts, they were unable to develop a workable solution. The parties will continue to support the growth of the game in Puerto Rico, where an outstanding baseball tradition has long made the island an important venue for the game. MLB looks forward to returning to play games in Puerto Rico in the near future.
The series would have marked the first MLB games in Puerto Rico since June 2010, when the Mets and Marlins played three games there. In his story earlier this week, Passan wrote about how MLB coming to Puerto Rico could brighten spirits there in what's proving to be a rather tumultuous time:
The disappointment is nevertheless palpable. Puerto Rico’s problems extend far beyond Zika, which health officials expect to afflict about 700,000 of its 3.5 million people this summer. The country’s crippling debt crisis reached its lowest point yet with a missed payment of nearly $400 million on Monday, and with more of its $70 billion owed to creditors due in the coming months, the possibility of further default and the chaos that accompanies that seems likely without intervention. Puerto Rico, in other words, is a nation that could use a dose of good news, of goodwill. This is not to wax on about some sort of mystical healing power baseball might provide. Seeing famous, beloved athletes stand up to the Zika concern, not let it stop the series, would be a bold statement of support for Puerto Rico and tolerance to a situation with so many unknowns.
Baseball isn't just running away from Puerto Rico, however. As part of the league's announcement Monday, it said it would stage several youth and communities events in Puerto Rico this month. Manfred and several former MLB players are committed to attend.
As for the money? MLB and the players' union both agreed to donate to relief efforts in Puerto Rico.
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