Cubs News: Cardinals reportedly visited casino, prompting COVID-19 outbreak

Cardinals players went to a casino; now, a series with the Cubs is in doubt.

You’d think after the Miami Marlins’ COVID-19 debacle, teams would be extremely cautious when it comes to their off-the-field behaviors. But that’s apparently not the case. The Cardinals, set to take on the Cubs this weekend at Busch Stadium, reportedly had several players go to a casino, setting off the club’s current coronavirus outbreak.

If these reports are, in fact, accurate, the idea that some guys were so selfish is absolutely mind-blowing to me. The entire season hangs in the balance and players acting irresponsibly is a slap in the face to their teammates who are following the policies and procedures set forth by the league – and baseball fans everywhere.

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As of this writing on Monday afternoon, the positive count included four players and three staff members. The team’s scheduled matchup with the Tigers seems unlikely to take place on Tuesday – and Cubs left-hander Jon Lester expressed doubt the team will travel to St. Louis this weekend.

"“I guess we’ll kind of figure it out as we go through the weekend on what we’re doing,” Lester told reporters Sunday. “I would imagine that we’re probably not playing those games this weekend, but I can’t fully speak to that. That’s just my opinion.”"

The league has since adjusted its protocols from ‘strongly discouraging’ players from leaving hotels to outright banning it – which, unfortunately, seems to be necessary given the behavior of this contingent of guys.

Meanwhile, the Cubs are yet to have a single player test positive for the coronavirus – a testament to the players’ strict adherence to the rules. They have several guys, namely Jon Lester and Anthony Rizzo, who are both considered high-risk due to their previous battles with cancer. So if it comes down to it? Push the matchup with the Cardinals to a later date. It’s simply not worth the risk.

Now, again. You have to reiterate. These are unconfirmed reports. We don’t know which, if any, players acted irresponsibly. But if these are accurate depictions, it’s downright disgusting to see players acting in such a selfish manner.

We only get 60 games this year. Fans cannot attend games and COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the country. If you want to finish the season and have a shot at attending games come 2021, then everyone – players and fans alike – must start playing by the rules and taking this virus seriously.