COVID hits MLB opening day as positive tests scrap Mets-Nats

— In case anyone thought, or at least hoped, the new baseball season would go off without a coronavirus-related hitch, there was bad news on opening day:

The Washington Nationals’ game against the New York Mets was postponed Thursday after at least three of the 2019 World Series champions’ players tested positive for COVID-19.

“We’re still in the midst of a pandemic, and people need to still take this seriously. Unfortunately, it hit us, and we’ve got to take care of our own now,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “All I can say is: Be safe, continue to wear your masks like they ask and know that this still can happen to anyone. It’s tough for us right now, but we’re going to get through it.”

General manager Mike Rizzo said Washington also has a fourth player considered a “likely positive.” He did not identify any of the players involved.

“For the most part, the whole team has been — we put them — in lockdown and they’re self-quarantining,” Rizzo said.

He said it was not yet known when the game will be made up, other than that it would not be played today, originally set up as a day off to allow for a makeup contest if there were an issue with Game 1, such as a rainout.

Rizzo said one of the players testing positive had a fever, while the others were not displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Contact tracing was continuing to see who else might have been exposed.

The teams are supposed to play Saturday and Sunday in Washington.

The Mets worked out at Nationals Park on Thursday, with pitchers throwing live to hitters.

“To be honest, it wasn’t a surprise. We’ve been in situations like this since last year,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said. “The health is the No. 1 thing still in the world. We’re taking care of ourselves. Everyone’s taking their mask everywhere. We’re doing everything we need to do.”