No new positive tests after Barnes sidelined by COVID-19
A day after news of a positive test for COVID-19 by reliever Matt Barnes roiled Red Sox camp, manager Alex Cora said no other players have contracted the virus. However, eight members of the organization have been isolated from the team per Major League Baseball’s contact tracing protocols.
Righthander Matt Andriese, who was scratched from his start Saturday, is one. Cora did not identify the others, or say how many were players, coaches or other staff members.
“Wehave to move on and try to be ready and hopefully everything keeps trending in the right direction the way it’s been trending the last 24 hours,” Cora said Sunday.
Some of the players in quarantine could be available for Opening Day on Thursday at Fenway Park.
“It’s whenyou had contact with Matt,” Cora said.
The CDC generally defines a close contact as someone who came within 6 feet of an infected person for a minimum of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period that began two days before either the onset of symptoms or a positive test. Additional variables, such as whether the contact was indoors or outdoors, are considered by the MLB committee overseeing COVID-19 procedures.
Barnes took a routine PCR test Thursday that came back positive. Anyone deemed to have been in close contact with him from last Tuesday through Friday would have to isolate from the team for at least seven days, returning only if they are asymptomatic and once a PCRtest taken on the fifth day or later of their isolation comes back negative.
The seven-day isolation period started the day after the last close contact with Barnes, meaning anyone who’d been near him on Tuesday could return to the team as early as Wednesday.
Proximity to Barnes was determined using data from Kinexon GPS bracelets that track who the players and coaches spend time close to throughout the workday.
“It’s not a good feeling,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said. “We all know that this was possible. Last year we experienced what it feels like to know that one of your players has tested positive. But we didn’t have that experience [once the season started].
“This is a whole different feeling because you start thinking about all the ways this could trend and the worst-case scenarios.”
Everyone on and around the team took PCR saliva tests Saturday following the news that Barnes had tested positive. The team was awaiting the results of those tests as of Sunday. However, the team conducted rapid tests on many members of the organization Saturday, all of which came back negative.
“Which was fantastic,” said Bloom.
That there have not yet been other positive tests is a hopeful sign that Barnes’ asymptomatic infection may have been contained, but that can’t be known for certain for a few more days.
Barnes will be isolated from the team for a period of at least 10 days, with his earliest potential return date being April 5. He told Cora he was surprised to have tested positive.
“We don’t know how or when. You talk to him and he walks you through his day, and what he did around here and all that. It’s like, ‘Well, it happens, I guess.’ That’s the way we see it,” Cora said.
“He’s in good spirits. Obviously disappointed that he won’t be able to be with us early in the season, but, at the same time, putting everything in perspective. He’s going to be OK, he’s going to be healthy, and he’s going to help us out whenever he’s ready.”
When he spoke to Bloom, Barnes expressed concern for how others were being affected by his positive test.
Based on Sunday’s lineup and those players who participated in pre-game drills, the Red Sox should have all of their position players available at the start of the season.
Their issue will be pitching depth. Nate Eovaldi remains on track to start Opening Day. Martin Perez has his final spring training start Tuesday and Nick Pivetta threw in the bullpen Sunday.
Eduardo Rodriguez is scheduled to throw in the bullpen Monday and could be ready for the first series.
Righthander Tanner Houck, who was optioned March 17, is the scheduled starter Monday. Cora acknowledged that Houck was being prepared in the event he is needed.
Righthander Garrett Richards, who was lined up to start the second or third game of the season, is conspicuously not on the schedule to pitch.
Bloom is monitoring the market for pitchers released by other teams, but said the Sox view their needs being short term.