The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
DeShields Jr. tests positive for COVID-19
Tribe embarks on first full-squad workout
The familiar sounds of baseball arrived at Progressive Field on July 3, and everyone was present and accounted for as the Indians held their first full-squad workout of Spring Training 2.0.
Well, almost everyone was present and accounted for.
Outfielder Delino DeShields, Jr., has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Indians president Chris Antonetti said.
DeShields, acquired in an offseason trade that sent pitcher Corey Kluber to the Rangers, will remain in Arizona until he passes a COVID-19 screening deeming him healthy enough to join the Indians.
Antonetti said DeShields granted the Indians permission to share his medical status.
“He has a diminished sense of taste and smell,” Antonetti said. “Other than that, he is doing well.”
So far, no other players who have reported to Cleveland for the abbreviated spring training have tested positive for COVID-19.
“Delino is doing really well,” Antonetti said. “He’s at home. He’s just waiting to get a negative test that would allow him to travel. He has very mild symptoms.
“He has to test negative twice, two negative tests spread out by at least 24 hours, before he’s allowed in our environment. He took another test recently. We are waiting those results.”
Manager Terry Francona said he spoke with DeShields recently and, “he seems to be feeling much better, which is good news.”
Besides DeShields’ absence, things were as normal
as normal could be — considering the circumstances — as the Indians held their first full-squad workout.
The day was split into two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Facilities and clubhouses were to be cleaned and sanitized in between so as to curb the potential spread of the coronavirus.
“The word ‘cooperation’ is going to be huge,” Francona said on the protocols and mandates in place so as to keep players and staff healthy. “It never ceases to please me how much our guys cooperate.”
That cooperation includes a code of conduct the Indians’ organization will draft that is aimed at keeping the players and staff coronavirus-free. That includes not only measures at Progressive Field and the secondary training site at Classic Park in Eastlake, but also when players leave the park and return to their lodging quarters or homes at this time.
“It’s a whole, completely different environment,” outfielder Tyler Naquin said. “But we have to abide by these rules, or we can’t make this thing happen.
“It all goes back to trusting everybody on and off the field, being respectful and knowing this whole thing going on is a whole lot bigger than one person.
It comes down to respecting each other and doing the right thing.”
Naquin, coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL, is one of two Indians singled out by Francona for their offseason work.
“Watching him (on July 3), he should be proud of himself for just how hard he’s worked,” Francona said. “It’s kind of hard not to root for him.”
Naquin said as part of his recovery, he worked out at Crocker Park bouncing a lacrosse ball off the concrete while balancing so as to strengthen his knee.
He isn’t the only Indian to take home workouts to a new level.
Carlos Carrasco, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year and missed a large portion of the season, built a pitcher’s mound in his front yard in Florida. Fellow pitcher Zach Plesac threw in an alley-way in Cleveland.
Shane Bieber, the likely ace on a deep and talented Indians rotation, said it felt good to get back to working out with his teammates again. He was slated to be the team’s starting pitcher on opening day and is looking forward to it still — even though that opener will be the July 23-24 weekend.
“It’ll mean that much more when it comes,” he said.
Bieber said he never lost hope that baseball would be played.
“There was a lot of backand-forth and pushing-and pulling,” he said. “In the back of my mind, there was no way we were not going to play baseball this year. In the back of my mind I knew — maybe it was wishful thinking — we’d get the season done. Then today came.”
All of the interviews done with Indians’ players, Francona and Antonetti were done via Zoom conferences — not in person.
When each interview was done, the table and microphone where the previous person sat was wiped down and sanitized, including Antonetti wiping things down prior to Carrasco taking a seat at the table.
“We come into this every day with a clear mind and a good attitude, we can pull this thing off,” Naquin said.
Three players added
The Indians announced the signing of three players to minor-league contracts July 3, bringing their roster pool for the coming season to 58.
Right-handed pitcher David Hernandez, infielder Jake Elmore and catcher Steven Baron have been signed. Hernandez and Elmore will report to Progressive Field for workouts, while Baron will report to Lake County.