Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss at least the remainder of this weekend's series against the New York Yankees, the Marlins announced Saturday. Bench coach James Rowson will manage the club in the interim.
Mattingly, 60, is fully vaccinated, the Marlins say, though he is experiencing mild symptoms. The club did not have any other positive tests and Saturday's game will be played as scheduled (GameTracker).
Last season the Marlins experienced MLB's most severe COVID-19 outbreak. At least 21 members of the team's traveling party, including 18 players, tested positive and forced the club to be shut down close to two weeks. To date, at least 23 teams have reached the 85 percent vaccination threshold for eased protocols this year. It's unclear whether the Marlins are among those 23 teams.
Mattingly is in his sixth season as Marlins manager. The club is 351-458 during his tenure, including 44-59 this season. Mattingly and the Marlins each recently exercised their half of a mutual option, extending his contract through 2022. Last year he was named NL Manager of the Year after guiding the club to the postseason.
With 809 games in uniform, Mattingly is by far the longest tenured manager in Marlins history. Fredi Gonzalez is a distant second on the team's managerial list with 555 games.
As a player Mattingly spent 14 very productive seasons with the Yankees, Miami's opponent this weekend. He was the 1985 AL MVP and received Hall of Fame votes.
