On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being cancelled.[1] Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to the recommendation made by the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for eight weeks.[2] On June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season. Players reported to training camp on July 1 in order to resume spring training and prepare for Opening Day on July 24.[3]
On September 19, the Phillies had a 27–25 record and needed to win just two of their final eight games to qualify for the playoffs. However, the Phillies collapsed by only going 1–7, thus encountering their third consecutive September collapse, missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, and failing to improve on their 81–81 record from the previous season.[4]
Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts
The Phillies dropped their home opener, 2–5, against Marlins but was highlighted by shortstop Didi Gregorius' home run. The team rebounded with a 7–1 victory the next day powered by Gregorius' second home run and designated hitterPhil Gosselin's 2-home run performance to give pitcher Zack Wheeler the victory in his Phillies' debut. The Marlins won the rubber match, 11–6, as the Phillies left the bases loaded 3 times in the latter half of the game.
COVID-19 outbreak
The Marlins' opening day catcher Jorge Alfaro was placed on the injured list after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day. First baseman Garrett Cooper and outfielder Harold Ramírez also tested positive for COVID-19 shortly thereafter. Two days later prior to the final game of the opening series, Marlins' pitcher José Ureña tested positive for COVID-19 and was scratched from his start.[18] Following the game the Marlins delayed their flight back to Miami due to concerns of an outbreak.[19][20]
On July 27, the Marlins' home opener against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed amid reports that eight new players had tested positive for COVID-19.[21] Reports stated that 11 Marlins players and two coaches had tested positive. MLB also postponed the Phillies' next game against the Yankees as the Yankees would be using the same clubhouse as the Marlins.[6] The Marlins remained in Philadelphia pending further testing.[21]
On July 28, sources reported that at least four more members of the Marlins had tested positive for COVID-19. In five days, the Marlins had a total of 17 people test positive for the virus.[22] On the same day, the MLB announced that the Marlins and Phillies seasons would be put on hold and their opponents' schedules adjusted.[11][23]
The Phillies' home-and-home series with the New York Yankees was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.[6] The July 31 game with the Toronto Blue Jays was also postponed and rescheduled as an August 1 traditional doubleheader.[11][12] However, on July 30 after an unnamed coach and Phillies' clubhouse worker tested positive (which were later determined to be false positives[24]), the Blue Jays series was postponed.[13][25]
August
As Major League Baseball juggled the schedules, the Phillies opened August with a home-and-home series with the Yankees, making up games postponed from the previous week.[7] Hours before the first pitch on August 3, the next day's game was postponed due to the impending inclement weather with the approach of Hurricane Isaias, setting up a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park where each team would take turns at being the home team.[15] Earning a split of the 4-game Yankees' series, the Phillies went on to split the 4-game Atlanta Braves' series. After being swept in a 3-games series by the Baltimore Orioles, the Phillies completed their homestand by sweeping the New York Mets.
In their first real roadtrip of the season (they had played a single game in New York earlier in the month but traveled back to Philadelphia after the game), the Phillies split a 2-game series with the Boston Red Sox. After leading early in both games of a doubleheader against in the Blue Jays, the Phillies were swept in the brief 1-day stay in Buffalo, New York, the Jays' home stadium (Sahlen Field) in 2020 due to the pandemic. In Atlanta, the Phillies led early in the opening 2 games of the series only to have the bullpen lose the games in the final innings. In the Atlanta finale, broadcast on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, the Phillies held on for a 5–4 victory with the game-tying run thrown out at home plate to end the game.
Playoffs again not reached
On September 27, 2020, the Phillies lost the season finale to the Tampa Bay Rays, 5–0, and they were therefore not eligible for the playoffs. If the Phillies had won that game and the San Francisco Giants and the Milwaukee Brewers had lost, they would have clinched the eighth playoff spot. The Giants and Brewers both lost their games.
Due to safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced on June 30, 2020, that the 2020 Minor League Baseball season would not be played.[26]
