Milwaukee Brewers general manager Matt Arnold at the 2023 GM Meetings, which were cut short due to a rampant stomach virus. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas via USA TODAY Sports
The annual MLB General Manager Meetings were forced to end early due to a queasy conundrum.
At least 30 out of the 300 people in attendance at the meetings came down with an undisclosed stomach virus. The GM Meetings, which kick off the MLB offseason, serve as a way for team officials to discuss player moves and free agency. But in 2023, the GM Meetings turned into the GI Meetings.
Feeling Queasy
Most of the affected people developed symptoms on Wednesday, which ruled out the possibility of food poisoning. It meant that the culprit was an airborne virus, and as such, MLB decided to cancel the remainder of the GM Meetings. With the Meetings originally scheduled to end Thursday morning anyway, it means only one day was lost.
The Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, the hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona where the meetings took place, ended up being the breeding ground. The MLB declined to comment on the issue; however, the hotel did release a statement.
“We are working with all appropriate parties to determine the cause of illness and will continue to follow safety protocols for the protection of our guests and staff, including wellness checks and contact tracing,” the statement reads. “Our dedicated team is taking every measure to ensure all guestrooms, banquet rooms and kitchens are thoroughly disinfected and sanitized per the hotel’s strict cleaning standards.”
“I’m getting a burger,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said with a grim after deciding to skip the buffet. Four other Yankees staff ended up contracting the virus, though their identities are undisclosed.
Keep in mind that the GM Meetings are different than the Winter Meetings, which are much larger in scale. That is when players actually meet with team staff. This year’s Winter Meetings will be held from December 3–6, in Nashville, a potential site for a future MLB expansion team.
