Giants’ Posey will sit out the season
San Francisco Giants star catcher
Buster Posey became the latest bigname player to skip this season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, announcing his decision Friday.
The six-time all-star said his family finalized the adoption of identical twin girls this week. The babies were born prematurely and Posey said after consultations with his wife and doctor he decided to opt out of the season.
Posey had missed three San Francisco practices while dealing with a personal issue.
The 2012 NL MVP and three-time World Series champion joined Dodgers pitcher David Price, Washington first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, Colorado's Ian Desmond, Arizona pitcher
Mike Leake and others in deciding not to take part in the 60-game season this year.
The 33-year-old Posey said it was difficult to miss an entire season but that this was the best decision for his family.
“These babies, being as fragile as they are for the next four months minimum, this wasn't ultimately that difficult a decision for me,” he said.
Posey hit .455 in exhibition games this year before spring training was halted March 12 because of the virus outbreak.
Major League Baseball is scheduled to start the season with July 23.
Gallo returns: All-star slugger Joey Gallo joined the Texas Rangers for the first time at summer camp Friday after missing the first week of workouts because he had tested positive for coronavirus.
Gallo never felt any symptoms, but had two positive tests that sandwiched a negative result during intake testing. He was cleared to return after multiple negative tests this week.
“Obviously my fingers were crossed every day that one of those tests was going to come back negative,” manager
Chris Woodward said. “The fact that he had no symptoms, he felt fine the whole time.”