Twins’ Sano tests positive
Miguel Sano, the Twins’ All-Star slugger, will miss the beginning of camp after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, the team revealed.
Sano is the player that President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey declined to identify Friday in announcing that two Twins major leaguers — utility player Willians Astudillo is the other — had been flagged in the first round of viral tests. In other news:
• Former Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez has opted out of the 2020 season, at least temporarily ending his bid to revive his career with Atlanta.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said Hernandez, 34, opted out due to the pandemic. Hernandez participated in workouts Friday and Saturday.
The decision came a day after Snitker announced that four-time All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, premier reliever Will Smith and two more Atlanta players tested positive for COVID-19. Righthander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma also had positive tests.
Hernandez, a six-time All-Star in 15 seasons with Seattle who won the 2010 AL Cy Young Award, posted a 6.40 ERA and was 1-8 in 15 starts last season.
• Cleveland manager Terry Francona is among those who think it’s time for the franchise to change the team’s name.
The Indians tweeted Friday that they are “committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.”
“I’ve been thinking about it and been thinking about it before we put out that statement,” Francona said. “I think it’s time to move forward.”
• Two projected members of the Athletics’ starting rotation, ace Mike Fiers and Jesus Luzardo, were not on the field for a second straight day because of what manager Bob Melvin called a “pending” issue without elaborating, aside from saying it’s not injury-related.
• Nationals manager Dave Martinez says two players out of 60 tested turned up positive for the novel coronavirus.
Martinez says the two players took their tests Wednesday before reporting to Nationals Park and that some are still awaiting their results. Reliever Sean Doolittle said he’s still debating whether to play this season.
• Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said relief pitchers Silvino Bracho and Junior Guerra have both tested positive for COVID-19.
• The White Sox said two players have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler said his status for the season is uncertain.
Wheeler’s wife, Dominique, is pregnant with the couple’s first child and expected to give birth later this month. The couple came to Philadelphia with Wheeler deciding to see how he felt at the ballpark and if the protocols would alleviate his concerns.