Mets-Yankees postponed after positive COVID-19 tests

Major League Baseball postponed this weekend's Subway Series to allow time for more testing and contact tracing after two members of the New York Mets tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Mets had their game Thursday night at Miami as well as Friday's opener against the Yankees postponed on Thursday after the results were reported. MLB postponed the rest of the weekend series between the New York teams on Friday "out of an abundance of caution and to allow for additional testing and contact tracing."

The Mets flew home Thursday night and are in New York, and the team said in a statement the traveling party was tested Friday morning before being sent home to quarantine. The team said those who tested positive or were identified as close contacts remained in Miami. It did not specify how many close contacts had been identified.

The league has now postponed 36 games this season because of positive tests with the Marlins, Phillies, Cardinals, Reds and Mets. The Yankees have twice had their schedule interrupted despite reporting no positive tests since Opening Day.

MLB said Friday that seven of 12,485 samples collected over the past week from players and coaches returned positive COVID-19 results, a positive rate of 0.05%. Three of the positives were players and four were staff members. Of all the samples collected by MLB this season, 0.1% have returned positive, and 19 teams have had a player or staff member test positive.

• Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg was diagnosed with carpal tunnel neuritis on his throwing hand after seeing a nerve specialist, manager Dave Martinez said. Last year's World Series MVP has made only two starts for the Nationals this year.

• Cleveland manager Terry Francona underwent a scheduled medical procedure for a gastrointestinal ailment and will likely miss the entire weekend series vs. Detroit. It's not known when Francona, who has already missed 14 games this season, will return.