AROUND THE HORN
MLB: Major League Baseball had two players and two staff members test positive for the coronavirus over the past week, according to results released by the league and players’ association Friday. One of the players was on a big league roster and the other participating at an alternate site. The four positive tests were found from 12,494 total tests conducted. Since the end of intake testing to begin spring training, 25 positive tests have occurred (17 players, eight staff members) out of 99,599 tests — a 0.03% positive rate. The positive tests this season include at least four among the Nationals, an outbreak that prompted MLB to postpone the Nationals’ season-opening series against the Mets.
Blue Jays: The possibility of the Blue Jays playing games this season in Buffalo, New York, has prompted the Triple-A affiliate to temporarily relocate to Trenton, New Jersey. The Buffalo Bisons announced they will open their season in New Jersey next month while their home field is renovated in anticipation of the Blue Jays’ arrival. The Blue Jays have opened this season at their spring training home in Dunedin, Florida. Though no date has yet been set, the team plans to shift to Buffalo as early as late May unless it receives approval to resume playing in Toronto. The upgrades to Buffalo’s Sahlen Field include moving the bullpens off the field to behind the outfield walls, building new batting cages and renovating clubhouse and weight room facilities to meet Major League Baseball standards. The Blue Jays played a majority of home games in Buffalo last year after Canadian health officials denied the team’s request to play in Toronto because of cross-border travel restrictions stemming from the pandemic.
Dodgers: Dodgers have placed former NL MVP Cody Bellinger on the injured list with a bruised left calf. The World Series champions made the move Friday before Bellinger and his teammates received their championship rings ahead of the Dodgers’ home opener against the Nationals. Bellinger was accidentally spiked by Athletics reliever Reymin Guduan on Monday while beating out an infield single in the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 10-3 win in Oakland. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said they had not seen “significant” improvement in Bellinger’s leg since the injury, but the outfielder was already jogging and moving. He missed the final two games of Los Angeles’ series in Oakland. “All the tests say it’ll be a short-term missing of time rather than a longterm, which is great news all around,” Roberts said. Bellinger batted .211 with two RBIs in the first four games of the season. He is eligible to return April 16 when the Dodgers open a series in San Diego.
Rangers: Rangers reliever Matt Bush was put on the 10-day injured list Friday with right elbow inflammation, a potentially concerning move for the hard-throwing pitcher only three games into his comeback from missing 2
½ seasons because of twice having elbow surgery.
Giants: Johnny Cueto got within an out of a complete game, Brandon Crawford broke up a scoreless tie with a bases-loaded, two-run double in the seventh inning, and the Giants won their home opener 3-1 against the Rockies on Friday. Cueto (1-0) struck out seven, walked one and didn’t allow a hit until Raimel Tapia’s sharp single to left with one out in the fifth.