Rockies’ Blackmon has virus
All-Star outfielder Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies has become the first Major League Baseball player known to have tested positive for the coronavirus.
A person familiar with Blackmon’s situation confirmed the test result to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because there was no official announcement.
The Denver Post first reported Blackmon’s condition, saying Tuesday that three Rockies players had tested positive for COVID-19.
Blackmon is a four-time All-Star slugger who hit .314 with 32 home runs and 86 RBIs last season. He turns 34 on July 1, the day players are set to begin reporting for the resumption of spring training.
Commissioner Rob Manfred imposed a 60game season Tuesday night after failed financial negotiations between owners and players. The season that’s been delayed by the pandemic will begin either July 23 or 24.
Numerous teams have said they have players who have tested positive for the virus without identifying any of them. The Philadelphia Phillies have announced seven, while the Detroit Tigers said one player who was living in Florida but not working out at the team’s spring training facilities in Lakeland also tested positive.
Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said a few players have tested positive but declined to specify the number or whether they are part of Seattle’s 40-man roster.
And several Toronto Blue Jays players and staff members have tested positive, according to a person who confirmed the test results to the AP on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement but did not specify a number. The Blue Jays closed their training facility last week in Dunedin, Fla., after a player showed symptoms consistent with the virus.
The Post reported Blackmon tested positive last week after workouts at Coors Field in Denver. The newspaper said the Rockies then closed the ballpark, following MLB protocol.
Many players around the majors have been working in recent weeks at either their home ballparks or their team’s complexes in Florida or Arizona. MLB closed all spring camp sites last Friday because of virus concerns.
Rangers hopeful to seat 20K fans
The Texas Rangers said they are drafting a plan that would allow for as many as 20,000 fans to attend games at Globe Life Field in Arlington when the regular season begins next month.
Under the Open Texas guidelines put forth by the governor’s task force, the team is exploring the possibility of admitting fans at up to 50 percent of the stadium’s capacity of 40,000, team officials said.
The 2020 MLB season is scheduled to begin July 23 or July 24, and the Rangers are preparing to welcome fans beginning with their first home game. The team expects to receive its schedule no later than Saturday.
Teams will play 60 games, with half of them at their home ballparks. If fans ultimately are permitted to attend the 30 regular-season games that would be played at the new ballpark in Arlington, season ticket holders would receive first priority.
Part of what would make it possible for fans to attend games in 2020 is Major League Baseball’s decision to bow to local ordinances on reopening plans. Rob Matwick, the Rangers executive vice president, said the team will consult with MLB as well as state and CDC guidelines — and not those of Tarrant County or Arlington —to determine the safest plan.
Gov. Greg Abbott said his office plans to work with the Rangers and Astros on finding a plan to safely put fans in ballparks. He said there is no current plan to change the 50 percent standard despite a spike in COVID-19 cases locally and statewide.
League sends plan to Canada
Major League Baseball has submitted a plan to the Canadian government to play in Toronto this year and health authorities are examining it.
Anna Maddison, a spokeswoman for the Public Health Agency of Canada, said the restart plan is being reviewed.
“The resumption of activities in Canada must be undertaken in adherence to Canada’s plan to mitigate the importation and spread of COVID-19,” Maddison told the Associated Press.
“The Public Health Agency of Canada has received, and is currently assessing, a restart plan from Major League Baseball,” she said.
Maddison also said big league baseball requires the formal support of health authorities in Ontario.
Anyone entering Canada for nonessential reasons must quarantine for 14 days, and the U.S.-Canada border remains closed to nonessential travel until at least July 21.
On Tuesday, the Canadian government said it was open to MLB playing in Toronto this summer, but the league had not submitted the required plan to health authorities. A senior federal government official said if MLB submitted an acceptable restart plan to the government, an exemption letter similar to the one provided to the National Hockey League could be provided. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
There has been talk the Blue Jays could play at their training facility in Dunedin, Fla., but the facility was shuttered after one player showed possible COVID-19 symptoms.
A person familiar with the situation told the AP that several players and staff members of the Blue Jays have since tested positive for the coronavirus. The person confirmed the test results to the AP on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement, but did not specify a number.
Texas has signed all five draftees
The Texas Rangers have signed all five of their picks from the condensed amateur draft after completing deals with their third- and fifth-round selections.
Texas announced the signings of right-hander Tekoah Roby and shortstop Thomas Saggese. Both 18-year-old players were drafted out of high school two weeks ago.
Saggese ($800,000) and Roby ($775,000) each got signing bonuses above slot.