KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Royals catcher Salvador Perez has tested positive for the coronavirus, the team announced on July 4. The athlete is asymptomatic and staying at his Kansas City home. He said his family is safe and he feels good. It will take consecutive negative tests for him to be allowed to play. […]
Royals catcher Salvador Perez tests positive for coronavirus — KOLR – OzarksFirst.com
Atlanta Braves four-time All-Star Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two teammates have tested positive for the coronavirus, a jarring hit to the NL East champions less than three weeks before the start of the pandemic-delayed season. ”It will be …
Braves star Freeman, 3 others test positive for virus — nyob.news
Atlanta Braves four-time All-Star Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two teammates have tested positive for the coronavirus, a jarring hit to the NL East champions less than three weeks before the start of the pandemic-delayed season. ”It will be a while before we can get him
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Atlanta Braves four-time All-Star Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two teammates have tested positive for the coronavirus, a jarring hit to the NL East champions less than three weeks before the start of the pandemic-delayed season.
”It will be a while before we can get him back,” manager Brian Snitker said Saturday about Freeman.
Snitker said the four players, including right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma, agreed to have the team disclose their positive tests.
Snitker said Freeman had a negative intake test early in the week before having a positive test on Friday. Snitker said the first baseman has a fever and ”is not feeling great.”
Major League Baseball has scheduled the 60-game season to start on July 23. Freeman is the biggest star in the sport so far to have his positive virus test publicly announced by his team.
It is too early to know if Freeman’s status for the start of the season could be jeopardized.
Nick Markakis said. ”I hope Freddie heals up quickly. I know he’s young, healthy. I hope he heals up and gets back as quickly as possible because as you know with 60 games, one week can change things quickly.”
The 30-year-old Freeman set career highs with 38 home runs and 121 RBIs last season to help Atlanta win its second straight NL East title. He placed fourth in the NL MVP voting in 2018 after hitting .309 with 23 homers and winning a Gold Glove.
Snitker said concerns will remain even after the four players return to workouts.
”Guys have gotten it more than once,” Snitker said. ”We’re going to have to be careful all year and it’s going to be the new normal for the next three months.”
Snitker said it was important for baseball and society to know even one of the game’s biggest stars can test positive.
”It sobers everybody up that this is real,” Snitker said. ”… It shows that this is a real deal and no one is immune to it.”
MLB and the players’ association announced Friday that 31 players and seven staff members had tested positive for COVID-19, a rate of 1.2 percent. Snitker said he was surprised the numbers were not higher.
Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon, had been baseball’s biggest star to test positive before Freeman.
Snitker also said first base coach Eric Young Sr., 53, has opted out of for the season due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Braves began their summer workouts at Truist Park on Friday and continued Saturday with only small groups on the field together and attempts made to practice social distancing.
Mark Melancon for the closer’s role.
Snitker said Smith and Toussaint have no symptoms. He said Kozma, who is working with top minor leaguers at the team’s Triple-A Gwinnett facilty, has a fever.
Snitker said Smith ”feels great. He’s anxious to get back.”
DeMarlo Hale, who had been a special assistant with the team, will fill in for Young to coach outfielders and serve as the first base coach.
”I applaud EY,” Snitker said. ”It was a tough decision for him. He’s an old gamer and we’ll miss him dearly for what he brings inside this clubhouse and his energy and everything.”
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Padres outfielder Tommy Pham tested positive for the coronavirus, San Diego general manager A.J. Preller said Friday. According to Preller, Pham was asymptomatic and in quarantine. “I’ve been in contact with him every single day and he feels fine,” Preller told reporters .”.. As a staff, we’ve been following all the contact-tracing protocols and all […]
Padres outfielder Tommy Pham tests positive for COVID-19 — Canoe
SAN FRANCISCO — Giants pitcher Jeff Samardzija thinks he has an advantage on most of his Major League peers, and he’s looking to press it. But he’s not sure Major League Baseball’s owners will give him the opportunity. You see, Samardzija has played in front of empty stands before. And we’re not talking about a…
Giants’ Jeff Samardzija calls out MLB owners over fan safety — Times-Standard
But he’s not sure Major League Baseball’s owners will give him the opportunity.
You see, Samardzija has played in front of empty stands before. And we’re not talking about a two-bad-teams-on-a-cold-Tuesday-in-September kind of empty — no, we’re talking about 100 percent unfilled seats.
It happened back in 2015, when Samardzija started a game for the Chicago White Sox against the Orioles in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray while he was in police custody and the violent protests that followed in that city. The game was ordered to be played behind closed doors. Attendance: zero.
Of course, the current expectation is that because of the COVID-19 pandemic baseball fans won’t be allowed into the ballpark for the 60-game regular season that will start in a few weeks.
But when Samardzija was asked about his experience in 2015 and what he could carry from that into the 2020 season at the Giants’ first day of “Summer Camp” at Oracle Park Friday, the veteran righty took the opportunity to take a shot at Major League Baseball’s owners.
“I wouldn’t put the cart before the horse there,” Samardzija said. “I think there’s going to be fans in the stands. I think we’ve seen with these owners, they’re not scared of anything… They’re not scared to put anyone at risk if they get the opportunity to, especially if it makes them money.”
Samardzija might have been placing his tongue in his cheek a bit, his comment highlighted the fact that, despite the fact that the season has re-started following weeks of contentious labor negotiations, tensions between the players and owners are still high.
His prediction of fans being in the stands isn’t off-base, either. While such a scenario seems unlikely in California, Houston Astros owner Jim Crane said last month that he expects to allow fans into home games this year in an effort to counter some of the revenue losses brought on by the pandemic-shorted season.
“That’s the way it’s going to be. The owners have already said that’s what they want,” Samardzija said. “But to the fans: I just want them to be safe, too. If that means they have to watch us from home, so be it.”
As for his experience pitching in front of an empty ballpark:
“For one game of the season, I’m gonna have a huge advantage of playing in front of no fans before,” Samardzija said. “So I’m excited about that. And we’ll take full advantage of that.”
Samardzija should hope that history helps him the second time around. In that fan-free game in Baltimore, he allowed seven earned runs in five innings pitched.
SAN FRANCISCO — A second San Francisco Giants player has tested positive for COVID-19, manager Gabe Kapler announced Friday afternoon. Luis Madero, a 23-year-old pitcher, was tested on Tuesday for the novel coronavirus. The positive result was learned Thursday. Madero is the second known Giant with to contract COVID-19, but the first member of the…
Giants pitcher tests positive for COVID-19 — Times-Standard
A total of 31 players and seven staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 through the first wave of testing, MLB and the MLB Players Association announced Friday. Among those who tested positive is Cleveland outfielder Delino DeShields Jr., Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti announced Friday. Antonetti said DeShields granted permission for the […]
MLB has 38 positive COVID tests — Canoe
Published:July 3, 2020
Updated:July 3, 2020 6:30 PM EDT
A total of 31 players and seven staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 through the first wave of testing, MLB and the MLB Players Association announced Friday.
Among those who tested positive is Cleveland outfielder Delino DeShields Jr., Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti announced Friday.
Antonetti said DeShields granted permission for the club to share and discuss his medical diagnosis. DeShields is currently under quarantine away from the club.
“Delino is doing really well,” Antonetti told reporters during a Zoom conference call. “He’s at home. He’s just waiting to get a negative test that would allow him to travel. He has very mild symptoms.
“He has to test negative twice, two negative tests spread out by at least 24 hours, before he’s allowed in our environment. He took another test recently. We are waiting those results.”
According to a joint release, 3,185 total samples were tested, making for a positivity rate of 1.2%. Of the league’s 30 teams, 19 have had at least one positive test.
It is unclear how many players and staff members in total have been tested. Each team has a 30-man roster and a 30-man taxi squad as they prepare to begin a shortened season in late July.
The league will not reveal specific players or staff members who have tested positive. Dating to March, there have been several positive tests from players and staffers across the league — many of whom remained anonymous — who have since recovered.
The number of positive tests in MLB appears relatively small compared to the NHL and NBA, who have also released data on their coronavirus testing.
On Monday, the NHL said that 26 of more than 250 total players (and 1,450 tests) had been positive over the previous three weeks, a time period featuring voluntary workouts at team facilities. The NBA said Thursday that 25 of 351 players have tested positive since June 23, along with 10 of 884 staff members.
MLB players reported this week to camps, which are taking place at their home stadiums. The league is targeting July 23 or 24 for the opening of the 60-game season, with the schedule yet to be released.
Several players have already opted out of participating, including three from the defending World Series champion Washington Nationals.
The Red Sox reportedly are interested in adding some star power to their outfield. Boston is among a handful of teams “mentioned as possibilities” to sign free agent Yasiel Puig, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported Thursday night during “MLB Tonight”. Heyman identified the San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres as other…
MLB Rumors: Red Sox Mentioned As Possible Landing Spot For Yasiel Puig — NESN.com
Angels outfielder Mike Trout expresses concern regarding the 2020 MLB season.
Mike Trout on 2020 season: ‘Honestly, I still don’t feel comfortable’ — HardballTalk | NBC Sports
By Bill BaerJul 3, 2020, 12:41 PM EDT3 Comments
Angels outfielder Mike Trout spoke to the media via Zoom today, the first day of training camp for many teams around the league ahead of the 2020 regular season. The players will have about three weeks to ramp up. The season is expected to begin on July 23.
Per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, Trout said, “Honestly, I still don’t feel comfortable.” Trout is, of course, talking about playing baseball in the middle of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Trout is not 100% committed to playing the 2020 season, as he has a pregnant wife due in August. He expressed concern with the fact that he would have to wait 14 days to see the baby if he tests positive.
Trout said, “We’re risking our families, risking our lives to go out here and play for everyone … I want to play It’s just a tough situation. I’ve just got to play it by ear.” He added, “I love playing this game. It’s going to come down to how safe we’re going to be.”
Trout also expressed concern with MLB’s health and safety protocols as well as the commitment of his peers to those protocols. Trout said, “I don’t get why you can leave your hotel room on the road … I didn’t understand that.” The three-time MVP said, “One guy could mess this up … Everybody’s got to take responsibility, got to take care of each other.”
Trout is certainly not the only player with a pregnant partner, with young children, with other at-risk family members. There is a lot these players have to consider in agreeing to participate in the 2020 season. That’s why every player who chooses to sit out should receive total support from their teams, from the media, and from fans. If Trout were to sit out the season, it would be a huge hit to the meaningfulness of the 2020 season.
The Red Sox did not enter MLB Summer Camp with a clean bill of health. Boston manager Ron Roenicke on Friday announced multi players recently tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Roenicke revealed neither who tested positive nor how many players tested positive, citing HIPAA laws and Major League Baseball rules, respectively.…
Ron Roenicke Reveals Red Sox Players Have Tested Positive For COVID-19 — NESN.com
The Red Sox did not enter MLB Summer Camp with a clean bill of health. Boston manager Ron Roenicke on Friday announced that some players recently tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Roenicke revealed neither who tested positive nor how many players tested positive, citing HIPAA laws and Major League Baseball rules, respectively. However, Roenicke did disclose that left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez did not report to camp Friday after recently being around someone who was sick. Rodriguez’s COVID-19 test results had not come in as of early Friday afternoon.
Here’s everything you need to know, via The Boston Herald’s Jason Mastrodonato and MLB.com’s Ian Browne:
Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke: We do have some positive tests. — Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) July 3, 2020 Ron Roenicke said he can’t mention how many positive tests there were, per MLB rules. — Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) July 3, 2020 (ERod told Roenicke it was OK to mention his name, which is why he did. Roenicke was suggesting generally he doesn’t want to mention names.)
Read more at: https://nesn.com/2020/07/ron-roenicke-reveals-red-sox-players-have-tested-positive-for-covid-19/
FILE PHOTO: Rob Manfred, commissioner of Major League Baseball, takes part in the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit in New York, U.S., February 8, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson July 2, 2020 While attempting to clarify comments he made a day earlier that caused a bit of a stir, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday admitted the league will “be lucky” to play a full 60-game abbreviated season.
MLB will be lucky to finish season amid virus surge: Manfred — Nusfeed.com
During an interview on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Wednesday, Manfred said, “The reality is, we weren’t going to play more than 60 games no matter how the negotiations with the players went or any other factor.”
Many saw that comment as potentially something the MLB Players Association could use against MLB should the union file a grievance alleging owners did not negotiate in good faith.
Speaking with USA Today on Thursday, however, Manfred tried to qualify those comments.
“If we had started an 82-game season (beginning July 1), we would have had people in Arizona and Florida the time the second spike hit,” Manfred told the outlet.
“My point was that no matter what happened with the union, the way things unfolded with the second spike, we would have ended up with only time for 60 games, anyway,” Manfred added. “As time went on, it became clearer and clearer that the course of the virus was going to dictate how many games we could play.”
“We just weren’t going to be able to play more than 60 games at that point with everything being shut down,” Manfred continued, before admitting that even now, “the reality is that we’re going to be lucky if we get 60 games now given the course of the virus.”
Opening Day was scheduled for March 26 before the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports.
The league has yet to confirm the official 2020 schedule of 60 games, but Opening Day is expected to be July 23 or July 24.
Players proposed a longer season, but Manfred said owners were never going to sign off on more than 60 games for health reasons.
(Field Level Media)
Baseball is back in Toronto – the training camp version, anyway. The Blue Jays finally received federal government clearance to fly north this weekend where they will use the Rogers Centre to prepare or the 2020 Major League Baseball season. Players and staff were completing intake screening in Dunedin, Fla. on Thursday and are scheduled […]
Blue Jays are in flight north after getting federal government approval for Rogers Centre training camp — Toronto Sun
Baseball is back in Toronto – the training camp version, anyway.
The Blue Jays finally received federal government clearance to fly north this weekend where they will use the Rogers Centre to prepare or the 2020 Major League Baseball season.
Players and staff were completing intake screening in Dunedin, Fla. on Thursday and are scheduled to board a pair of charter flights to Toronto over the next couple of days. The Jays, who have had at least four players test positive for COVID-19, have stressed that those players won’t travel until testing negative.
The Jays have yet to receive clearance to play their 30 home games at the downtown Toronto stadium, but club officials are confident they can finalize a safe plan to gain approval from government and health authorities, both provincially and federallly.
As reported by the Toronto Sun earlier this week, the Jays had backing from provincial and municipal authorities and were awaiting the final clearance from Ottawa.
That came on Thursday which set the wheels in motion to get camp underway.
As many as 60 players are expected to be at the Rogers Centre for initial workouts this weekend. Players will be housed and quarantined in the Marriott Hotel which is attached to the Rogers Centre.
“The plan for hosting summer training camp in Toronto required government and public health approval at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels,” the Jays said in a statement. “At its core, the plan necessitates players and club personnel to enter a closed environment at Rogers Centre, which is isolated from the general public.
“In collaboration with public health agencies, the Blue Jays have established comprehensive protocols to ensure the highest standards of health and safety are met prior to and during travel, and to create a cohort quarantine environment at Rogers Centre and the adjoining hotel.
“These protocols will be in place in addition to those outlined in the 2020 MLB Operations Manual.”
The Jays emphasized that the Rogers Centre remains as the preferred destination for home games and now they have three weeks to cement that permission. TD Ballpark in Dunedin, the team’s spring training home, remains the backup plan.
On Thursday, free agent pitcher Tyson Ross became the fifth player to opt out of the 2020 season during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Tyson Ross opts out of 2020 season — HardballTalk | NBC Sports
On Monday, Nationals pitcher Joe Ross became one of four players to opt out of the 2020 season due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, Joe’s brother Tyson Ross opted out of the 2020 season as well, per Jon Heyman.
Ross, 33, is currently a free agent. He racked up 35 1/3 disappointing innings for the Tigers last year, posting a 6.11 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 18 walks.
Mike Leake, Ryan Zimmerman, and Ian Desmond are the three other players to have opted out of the 2020 season thus far. None of these players are considered “high risk,” so they are forgoing their salaries and service time.
The view from left field 