Nats-Mets opener delayed because of positive COVID test
WASHINGTON — The opening day baseball game between the Nationals and Mets was postponed hours before it was scheduled to begin Thursday night because of coronavirus concerns after one of Washington’s players tested positive for COVID-19.
The Nationals issued a statement saying “ongoing contact tracing involving members of the Nationals organization” was the reason for scrapping the game at their stadium.
The contest was not immediately rescheduled, even though today already had been set up as an off day that could accommodate a game pushed back from Thursday if there were a rainout, for example.
The Nationals said in a statement the game “will not be made up on Friday.”
Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that one of his team’s players had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, before the team left spring training camp.
Rizzo said four other players and one staff member were following quarantine protocols after contract tracing determined they were in close contact with the person who tested positive.
Rizzo did not identify any of those involved.
“We’re still in the process of finding out exactly what their status is,” Rizzo said Wednesday. “They’re certainly out for tomorrow’s game.”
The 2019 World Series champions — who finished tied for last in the NL East in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season — were supposed to send Max Scherzer to the mound to face New York’s Jacob deGrom in a matchup between pitchers who own a total of five Cy Young Awards.
“We will certainly have some roster decisions to make, depending on how this all shakes out,” Rizzo said Wednesday.
Word of the positive test came a little after 1 a.m. Wednesday, he said.
The team flight from Florida to Washington was where there was close contact between the five people who are quarantining and the player who tested positive.
Scherzer said he was not on that team flight and traveled separately with his family.
The Nationals — who had planned to have a workout at their stadium on Wednesday, before it was called off because of rain — did not have a single player test positive during their six weeks of spring training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to Rizzo.
Source: Lindor, Mets agree to $341M deal
Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets have agreed to a $341 million, 10-year deal, keeping the All-Star shortstop in Queens for the long haul after acquiring him from Cleveland in the offseason, according to a person familiar with the agreement.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday night on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced.
Lindor was eligible for free agency after this season and said this spring he wouldn’t negotiate with the Mets on a long-term contract after opening day. Less than 24 hours before New York starts its season Thursday night in Washington, an agreement was reached.
The 27-year-old Lindor has two Gold Gloves and made four All-Star teams in six seasons with the Indians, hitting .285 with an average of 29 homers, 86 RBIs and 21 stolen bases per 162 games.
He was the prized pickup in new owner Steve Cohen’s first offseason, acquired from Cleveland along with righthander Carlos Carrasco for infielders Amed Rosario, Andrés Giménez and two minor leaguers. New York added Lindor knowing he could walk after the 2021 season, but the team said it would try to negotiate a long-term pact.
MLB Network was first to report on the agreement.
Lindor will retain his $22.3 million salary for 2021 before the contract kicks in for 2022.
Rockies bring back Chacin
The Colorado Rockies brought back Jhoulys Chacín, agreeing to a one-year deal with the right-hander on the eve of opening day.
He was added to the active roster before the opener Thursday against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field.
Chacín spent the first six years of his major league career in Colorado after being signed by the Rockies on Sept. 27, 2004, as a nondrafted international free agent. He’s 10th in franchise history with 38 wins.