Unlike his son, Mets employee Donovan Mitchell Sr. tests negative for coronavirus.

Donovan Mitchell Sr., the team's director of player relations and community engagement, was tested for COVID-19 on Thursday after his son, Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell Jr., was found to have contracted the disease. Credit: AP/Julio Cortez
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — On the first day of baseball’s spring training purgatory, the Mets announced Friday night that an employee tested negative for the coronavirus and were otherwise silent regarding their plans for the coming days and weeks.
Donovan Mitchell Sr., the team’s director of player relations and community engagement, was tested for COVID-19 on Thursday after his son, Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell Jr., was found to have contracted the disease. The Mets got the negative results back late Friday.
With that question answered, the Mets can move toward deciding whether to continue working out at the Clover Park complex as spring training remains officially suspended. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen is scheduled to speak to reporters on a conference call at noon Saturday.
Major League Baseball announced at about 7:30 p.m. Friday — about two hours before the Mitchell news — that all spring training camps were suspended “effective immediately’’ after declaring Thursday that Opening Day will be delayed at least two weeks.
Players were given three options: go home, stay in their spring training city or go to their team’s city.
“This step is in the best interests of players, employees and the communities who host Spring Training,” MLB said in a statement after meeting with MLB Players Association officials in Arizona. “MLB will continue to monitor ongoing events and undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts. We send our best wishes to all the individuals and communities who have been impacted by coronavirus.”
Whether players would continue to work out at their spring training facilities was up to the individuals and teams. Yankees players, for example, unanimously voted to remain in Tampa. The Cardinals reportedly had about a dozen players who decided to stay and work out at their complex in nearby Jupiter.
Meanwhile, an eerie calm covered Clover Park during what was supposed to be the start of a two-week countdown to the original Opening Day date (March 26). The players’ parking lot was empty, as was the lot on the minor-league side. The front-office/staff spaces were filled, and security guards milled about. Several dozen fans visited the box office — open for three hours — to get refunds on tickets for the Mets’ six Grapefruit League home games that were canceled. Landscapers tended to grass and gardens.

