Opening Day: Nationals vs. Mets postponed due to COVID-19 issues

April 1 (UPI) -- Thursday's Opening Day matchup between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets has been postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing within the Nationals organization, MLB announced.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the game will not be made up on Friday," MLB said in a news release. "MLB will continue to provide updates as available."

The Nationals were scheduled to host the Mets at 7:09 p.m. EDT in Washington, D.C. The Nationals said Wednesday that they would be without five players and a staff member because a player had tested positive for COVID-19.

The positive test result came from Monday's round of testing, while the team was still in West Palm Beach, Fla., for spring training.

The Nationals learned of the result Wednesday morning after they arrived in Washington, D.C. The team shared a plane for the flight home. No Nationals players tested positive for COVID-19 at spring training until Monday.

The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles also had their Opening Day matchup postponed Thursday due to inclement weather in Boston. That game was moved to 2:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Fenway Park.

The New York Yankees host the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of the season at 1:05 p.m. EDT Thursday at Yankee Stadium. That game airs on ESPN.