The Mets take stock of their coronavirus situation

So many negatives have never seemed so positive for the Mets.

the The team released a statement on Saturday night claiming that two rounds of COVID-19 tests performed by the group of travelers from New York to Miami at the end of the week all came back negative. In addition, tests for all close contacts who remained in Miami were negative.

Tests on the travel group were conducted Thursday evening and Friday morning at Citi Field, after a positional player and coach tested positive for the coronavirus in Miami, forcing four consecutive days of postponement for the Mets – y including the Subway Series weekend against the Yankees. The player and coach who tested positive remained in quarantine in Miami.

“The entire Mets traveler group will continue to be tested daily and will remain isolated,” the statement said. “We will await further information on the planning from MLB and will continue to provide updates as they become available.”

If more positives go undetected the next day, it’s conceivable that the Mets could practice Monday, a day before their regular series against the Marlins begins at Citi Field.

The Reds recently had a positive player test for the coronavirus and postponed three four-day games. At the more extreme end, the Cardinals continued to receive additional positive tests after an initial outbreak and went two weeks without playing.

One possibility that seems unlikely is that the Mets and Yankees will play Monday’s mutual day off. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Saturday he didn’t expect Subway Series action on Monday, the day before a series starts in Atlanta. The Yankees and Mets are scheduled to play three games in the Bronx next weekend, but doubles could be added if needed. The teams also have mutual days off on September 3 and 14.

In addition to rescheduling Subway Series games, the Mets must find a makeup date for their postponement last Thursday in Miami. The Mets and Marlins are scheduled for a three-game streak this week, but a double title could be added as the teams will no longer meet in the regular season.

The Mets could ideally use Monday as a practice day, as players weren’t allowed to use Citi Field this weekend. The Mets last played in Miami on Wednesday, winning 5-3 after Michael Conforto homed in the ninth for the starting races. A day later, with Seth Lugo set to enter the starting rotation, the Mets were notified about an hour before the scheduled first pitch of the positive test results.

After consulting with medical staff and the MLB, the Mets decided to return home from Miami rather than check in at a new hotel in a city that has been a coronavirus epicenter. The Mets returned home on a larger-than-normal plane, in socially distanced seats. During the flight, players and staff were not allowed to remove their masks, even for eating and drinking.

After returning to Citi Field, the entire group of travelers was tested. The player and coach who tested positive, as well as anyone determined to be in direct contact with either, remained in Miami to self-quarantine. Players and coaches returned to Citi Field on Friday for further testing. The additional tests were carried out on Saturday.