1:08 AM ET
Jeff PassanESPN
CloseESPN MLB insiderAuthor of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of one of the most Valuable Commodity in Sports”
A Cincinnati Reds player evaluated positive for COVID-19 on Friday, threatening the teams video game Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and reigniting fear of another outbreak in the sport after a pair of break outs seriously impacted the opening weeks of the season, sources told ESPN.
The teams were notified of the positive test after their video game in Cincinnati on Friday. The reported favorable began the eve of the St. Louis Cardinals, who have actually not played since July 29, returning to the field against the Chicago Cubs.
The Athletic first reported that a Reds player had tested favorable.
Beyond St. Louis, Major League Baseball had actually reported no favorable tests in the previous 2 weeks, causing hopes in the sport that after the break outs amongst the Cardinals and, previously in the season, the Miami Marlins, that the sport might discover a period of calm.
1 RelatedThat wont be the case over the next few days, as the Reds start the contact-tracing process and potentially isolate players who entered contact with the infected gamer.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielder Nick Senzel self-reported symptoms and spent days on the injured list before unfavorable tests enabled them to be reinstated. And while infielder Matt Davidson evaluated positive, follow-up tests were negative, leading to the belief his very first result was a false favorable.
The Reds are likely to go through increased screening beyond the standard every-other-day saliva test, and with the incubation duration for the infection thought to be in between two and 10 days, the likely postponement of Saturdays video game might reach Sunday and even beyond, sources said.
MLBs inmost concern regards possible team-to-team transmission. No positive cases of on-field transmission appeared on the Philadelphia Phillies following their July series versus the Marlins, nor on the Minnesota Twins, who last played the Cardinals. The Pirates may be based on increased screening nevertheless.
The Reds, a trendy preseason playoff choice, moved to 9-11 with an 8-1 success against the Pirates on Friday.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielder Nick Senzel self-reported signs and invested days on the hurt list prior to negative tests enabled them to be renewed. And while infielder Matt Davidson evaluated positive, follow-up tests were unfavorable, leading to the belief his very first outcome was an incorrect positive.
No positive cases of on-field transmission showed up on the Philadelphia Phillies following their July series against the Marlins, nor on the Minnesota Twins, who last played the Cardinals.
