PHOENIX — Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, believing the recent outbreak of positive COVID-19 tests was caused by players failing to adhere to health and safety protocols, warned union chief Tony Clark on Friday that the season could be shut down unless players start showing more discipline.
Manfred and Clark declined to discuss the conversation, but MLB is facing increasing scrutiny from public health officials because of the repeated violations of protocols. according to one high-ranking official with direct knowledge of the conversation.
The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak publicly.