Red Sox place Rodriguez, 2 others on injury list

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox have placed lefthanders Eduardo Rodriguez, Josh Taylor, and Darwinzon Hernandez on the injured list while they recover from COVID-19.

Rodriguez won 19 games last year and had been the team’s likely opening day starter.

Although all three pitchers would be eligible to be activated as soon as they have cleared the protocol, they have not been able to participate in team workouts and would need time to prepare for the season. A player must test negative twice at least 24 hours apart and show no symptoms of the disease.

Without Rodriguez at least for the first time through the rotation, Nathan Eovaldi is expected to start against the Baltimore Orioles in the July 24 opener.

Cubs’ Rizzo frustrated by continuing back trouble

Anthony Rizzo was ready to go. The slugging first baseman for the Chicago Cubs showed up to summer camp in great shape, looking forward to the season.

Then a familiar problem surfaced again.

Rizzo is tracking pitches and doing strength and stability exercises while he waits for his ailing back to calm down. An MRI on Tuesday showed rib-head inflammation on his left side that is causing spasms — a condition he has dealt with before in his career.

“Frustrating, just because how physically in shape I felt like I was coming in,” Rizzo said Wednesday. “Just can’t control the flareups. The MRI getting kind of what we knew, just confirming it. Just kind of getting it to calm down and get back out there as fast as I can.”

Rizzo, who turns 31 next month, tested his back when he took live batting practice on Sunday, But it didn’t respond very well to the session.

The Cubs open the season on July 24 against Milwaukee, and any prolonged absence for Rizzo would be a big blow for the team. The three-time All-Star finished with at least 25 homers and 101 RBIs for four consecutive years from 2015-18. He hit .293 with 27 homers and 94 RBIs last season.

“I want him to be healthy and 100%,” manager David Ross said. “I think the good news is he understands where he’s at with this back thing he’s got going on and dealing with it in the past. He doesn’t seem worried. I think the main thing is that we’re progressing in the right direction. He still has a positive outlook so that makes me have a positive outlook.“

Rizzo is considered day to day, and Ross said it’s still early to talk about him beginning the 60-game season on the injured list. Kris Bryant and Victor Caratini are the top choices to fill in at first if Rizzo is unavailable at the beginning of the year.

Rizzo said he doesn’t think he will need to begin the year on the IL.

“You just play the riskreward right now,” he said. “We know how important every game is, so for me personally I’m going to be pushing to get back as fast as I can and take the risk because the reward of being with the guys and playing alongside of them is worth it for me.”

In addition to Rizzo’s back trouble, the Cubs were missing six players Wednesday who were awaiting completed coronavirus test results from Monday. Robel Garcia, Christopher Morel, Brennen Davis and Miguel Amaya came over from the team’s camp in South Bend, Indiana, for an intrasquad game at Wrigley Field.

Sano cleared to return to Twins after missing time because of positive COVID-19 test

Miguel Sano was able to rejoin the Twins on Wednesday after successfully completing Major League Baseball’s coronavirus protocols.

Sano, who tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Minneapolis two weeks ago, has tested negative twice since then and was cleared on Wednesday to take part in the team’s training camp ahead. He was scheduled to take part in Wednesday’s workout at Target Field and begin working toward being ready for Opening Day on July 24.

Sano’s return means Willians Astudillo is the only player on the Twins’ 40-man roster still sidelined by the virus, though three other minor league players who were invited to camp — Wilfredo Tovar, Nick Gordon and Edwar Colina — also have tested positive. Colina has been cleared to return as well, but so far remains at the team’s offseason headquarters in Fort Myers, Fla.