Nats in ‘crisis management mode’
Washington in limbo after virus nixes Mets series
A COVID-19 outbreak affecting more than a third of the Washington Nationals’ roster caused the postponement of the 2019 World Series champions’ season-opening three-game series against the visiting New York Mets.
Four of Washington’s players tested positive for the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, and another five were quarantining after contact tracing determined they might have been exposed, general manager Mike Rizzo said Friday.
“We’re in crisis management
mode,” Rizzo said.
His team also is in a holding pattern, uncertain when it will be allowed to play a game or hold workouts.
After games against the
Mets slated for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at Nationals Park were scratched, the next possible contest for Washington would be at home Monday against
Atlanta.
“Depending on what happens in the next day or so, we’ll be in contact with MLB, and we’ll make the decision on whether we’re playing or not,” Rizzo said. “But we are, as of right now, preparing to play Monday.”
That would require calling up several players who did not make the cut at the end of spring training and are at the Nationals’ training site in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
“Our depth is going to have to shine,” the GM said.
Rizzo has not identified any of the players involved in the outbreak and said he would not.
The team did not report a single positive COVID-19 test throughout its six-week spring training camp. The first positive of the current oubreak came from testing Monday.