David Price Calls Out MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred For Not Prioritizing Player Health
BOSTON (CBS) -- With millions upon millions of dollars in the bank, David Price made the decision to forego the 2020 MLB season -- his first with the Los Angeles Dodgers -- in order to remain healthy and avoid exposure to the coronavirus.
With the MLB season just days old, the league already has a problem, after allowing the Marlins to take the field to play against the Phillies after learning that four players had returned positive COVID-19 tests.
Considering the league and commissioner Rob Manfred allowed that game to be played -- only for the Marlins' positive case number to jump to 13 a day later -- it does not appear to Price that MLB keep the health and safety of players as priorities. And the former member of the Red Sox and Rays let that grievance fly on social media.
"Now we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players health first," Price tweeted on Monday. "Remember when Manfred said players health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I'm at home right now is because players health wasn't being put first. I can see that hasn't changed."
Of course, Manfred and MLBPA director Tony Clark engaged in some thorny negotiations and much squabbling over games played and pay structure throughout the coronavirus-forced shutdown, thus leading to plenty of attention being steered away from protocols that would make the MLB season safer for all involved. As such, there are likely some unpleasant feelings from the players with regard to league executives and owners.
And surely, Sunday's situation won't do much to assuage concerns among players that the league has their safety in mind when making decisions. Price's statement was concise and clear, and it likely won't be the last message sent from players in the wake of the Marlins' outbreak.
