Phillies pitching coach Bryan Price absent from Saturday’s game, following MLB’s coronavirus protocols

When Zack Wheeler issued a two-out walk in the seventh inning Saturday, with his pitch count climbing toward 80, the Phillies wanted to check that he felt strong enough to keep going.

But it wasn’t pitching coach Bryan Price who went to the mound.

Instead, the Phillies sent assistant pitching coach Dave Lundquist. And after the 7-1 victory over the Miami Marlins, manager Joe Girardi revealed that Price wasn’t at Citizens Bank Park, but he didn’t offer an explanation.

"It's a medical issue that I can't discuss," Girardi said.

Price is adhering to Major League Baseball’s health and safety protocols, according to a source, but it’s unclear whether he has tested positive for COVID-19. According to the protocols, players, coaches, and staff may be required to stay away for various reasons, including exposure to someone who has symptoms.

The Phillies hired Price after last season to replace deposed pitching coach Chris Young. In May, the 58-year-old said he wasn’t concerned about exposure to the virus.

“If I was 10 years older, I’d probably be a lot more reluctant to get back in,” Price said then. “I’m healthy, I don’t have pre-existing conditions, and I’m not reckless. I’m not daring the COVID-19 to come into my life, by any means. I believe in respecting the protocols that are in place. That being said, I don’t fear getting sick a great deal.”