Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Major League Baseball has postponed its opening series between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets to double down on testing and contact tracing for Nationals players, coaches and staff, the league announced Friday.
Why it matters: After three Nationals players tested positive for the coronavirus this week, MLB is taking precautions to prevent further delays.
The state of play: The season opener, slated for Thursday night, was supposed to mark America's return to its favorite pastime, with 5,000 fans allowed in Nationals Park. But the team's positive COVID tests led the league to postpone the game, a reminder that the pandemic remains a force to be reckoned with.
- The Nationals are scheduled to play against the Braves next Monday, but it's unclear if they'll be cleared in time.
- MLB hasn't announced when the postponed games will be made up.
- Nationals players, coaches and staff were tested Thursday and will be tested again Friday, the Washington Post reports. The team expects to know Thursday's results — which will inform next steps — by late Friday afternoon.