MLB: A’s players say they have been following virus safety protocols as more teams deal with outbreaks.
OAKLAND >> As the A’s prepped for their second road game in Seattle on Saturday, the state of the 2020 Major League Baseball season strayed deeper into uncertainty as coronavirus outbreaks hit three more teams.
Commissioner Rob Manfred on Friday warned MLB Players Association head Tony Clark that the season could be shut down by Monday if players continued to neglect the league’s safety protocols. A’s union player representative Marcus Semien said he expected some of the looser compliance rules to be “tightened up” in response.
On Saturday, Manfred changed his stance, telling ESPN’S Karl Ravech: “We are playing. The players need to be better, but I am not a quitter in general and there is no reason to quit now. We have had to be fluid, but it is manageable.”
Manfred is pointing blame for the recent outbreaks away from the league on the back of agreed upon health and safety protocols that ask, but don’t mandate, that players stay indoors throughout the season, stating: “MLB will not formally restrict the activities of Covered Individuals when they are away from Club facilities.”
That players need to stay indoors, away from crowded spaces and virus hot spots away from the isolated comforts of their homes and hotel rooms, is just a rule all teams assume the others are operating under. Prior to the season, the A’s took the rule seriously, saying then and now that they know they can only control their own behavior.
In light of an MLB investigation reported by Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller that the Miami Marlins were lax in staying away from people — reportedly going to the hotel bar
and out in Atlanta during a trip to play the Braves — the A’s expressed some frustration that other teams might not be as diligent.
“We don’t want to be one of those teams like the Marlins that screws it up for everybody,” A’s third baseman Matt Chapman said earlier this week.
A’s pitcher Chris Bassitt added that the team’s affinity for video games helps them stay busy isolated indoors. They play each other, in separate rooms, before the game, go to the field to play, then return home to play more video games.
“I can’t speak for every other team, but if every team was doing what Oakland did we would be really well off,” Bassitt said. “I’m talking from a players standpoint of being mature enough not to go out, from the front office taking care of us to trainers being on top of us 24/7. Whatever we need, we can get. If every team was working the way we were working here, I think we would be better off than where we are. You hear guys not being smart and running around, it has to stop.”
Ramón Laureano acknowledged the necessary isolation can go against human nature.
“How can I put this without insulting anybody,” he said. laughing. “If we’re talking about 30 teams, 60 players on the whole roster, people have habits. They have to go out, that’s how they relax, and that’s going to happen. We’re human beings. But we have to do our part as players, teammates, to not leave our place.”
When news of outbreaks spread through the baseball world, the A’s made sure to convene and discuss — the front office head honchos reminding the players and staff what they needed to do to keep safe.
“I don’t think we’ve had to worry about one thing on our team,” Bassitt said. “So far, we have a very mature group that’s easy to keep inside.”
LUZARDO TO START TUESDAY >> Jesús Luzardo will make his first big league start Tuesday against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum, manager Bob Melvin announced. Luzardo, the A’s No. 1 prospect, is considered one of baseball’s top rookies.
A pair of errors blemished Luzardo’s two appearances out of the bullpen this season, in which he’s given up one earned run — three total — in 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and three walks against the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies. His slider has been particularly devastating, with a high-90s fastball that moves. Luzardo has a 1.35 ERAIN2020.
The A’s 22-year-old lefthander’s highly-anticipated move into the rotation comes nearly a year delayed due to a slew of major injuries. Luzardo was first sidelined for six weeks in March 2019 with a rotator cuff injury; after a sterling spring he was expected to start the season in the rotation. That July, Luzardo experienced another set-back when diagnosed with a Grade 2 lat strain.
Right-handed pitcher Daniel Mengden will move into the bullpen to make room for Luzardo in the five-man rotation. Frankie Montas will start in Monday’s finale against the Mariners in Seattle on regular rest.