Major League Baseball’s return to Puerto Rico will have to wait.
The two-game series between the Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates, scheduled for May 30 and 31 at San Juan’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium, has been moved to Miami due to concerns about the Zika virus, MLB and the Players’ Association announced Friday.
The announcement came after several players on both teams expressed concerns about contracting the virus, which most commonly is spread through mosquito bites but also can be contracted through sexual intercourse. While many infected with Zika virus don’t get sick, the virus can cause a rare birth defect called microcephaly and also has been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare muscle weakness disorder.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control briefed both clubs on the dangers associated with the virus, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred gave the option for players to not travel with their teams if they didn’t want to risk traveling to Puerto Rico. When several everyday players from both teams expressed their desire to stay home, Manfred decided to call off the games.
“People were really looking forward to the series and to have the opportunity to attend Major League Baseball games in Puerto Rico,” New York Yankees outfielder and Puerto Rico native Carlos Beltran told ESPN.com. “We all know that Puerto Rico is going through a very difficult time and this is basically just another low blow for the island.”
Puerto Rico isn’t the only country where sports could be affected by the Zika virus, as the U.S. Olympic Committee reported has told its athletes to consider skipping the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro amid fears about the virus.
Puerto Rico last hosted an MLB game in 2010 between the then-Florida Marlins and New York Mets. The league is hoping to play a game in Puerto Rico in the near future.
Thumbnail photo via Kamil Krzaczynski/USA TODAY Sports Images
