ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JULY 21: Jose Urena #62 of the Miami Marlins (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Jose Urena and several other Miami Marlins have COVID-19.
What looked like a potentially surprising season for Don Mattingly and the Miami Marlins faces the prospect of unraveling after just two games, as starting pitcher Jose Urena was scratched from a start against the Philadelphia Phillies after testing positive for COVID-19. Robert Dugger will get the start in his place.
Per Jon Heyman, Urena isn’t the only Marlin that has contracted the virus, as at least two position players on the team have also been infected. Per the MLB’s coronavirus safety regulations, all three of those players will not be allowed to return until they test negative twice.
The Miami Marlins now have several cases of COVID-19 on their club.
Urena struggled in 2019 after post a sub 4.00 ERA in back-to-back seasons. He mustered just a 5.24 ERA in 24 games, eventually being moved to the bullpen. Urena was given one last chance to prove his worth as a starter, but this diagnosis could make it more difficult for him to get back on the bump.
Even though the MLB has bent over backward to create a thorough testing program, the harsh reality of the 2020 season is that these cases will continue to crop up, especially if players don’t take the necessary steps to prevent an infection.
The Marlins need to hope that Urena and these starters can return to action soon, lest they be relegated to another last-place finish in the NL East.