Phillies confirm 4 additional COVID-19 cases

June 23rd, 2020

PHILADELPHIA -- One more Phillies player and two more Phillies staff members at the team’s Spring Training facility in Clearwater, Fla., tested positive for COVID-19, the team said Tuesday.

A player not recently based in Clearwater also tested positive.

The Phillies made the announcement Tuesday afternoon following news Friday that five players and three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus.

The team tested at least 32 others, including 20 players and 12 staff members in Clearwater, over the past several days. Overall, it puts the announced tally of those who have tested positive at seven players and five staff members.

The Phillies indefinitely closed their Clearwater facilities last week as a result of the positive tests.

The Phillies believe they followed proper protocols to minimize the risk of infection at their facilities the past few months, including staggered workout schedules to remove any possibility of large gatherings and constant cleaning and disinfecting of clubhouses and equipment. But as sources noted Friday, once players and staff members leave the facilities, they are on their own. COVID-19 infections in Florida have climbed steeply in recent weeks.

The team plans to hold workouts in Philadelphia before a potential 2020 season, which could begin at the end of July, so this news should not directly affect the team’s preparation plans.