Red Sox’ Matt Barnes ‘super relieved’ to be cleared after COVID-19 scare

Matt Barnes woke up on Saturday morning stunned to learn he had tested positive for COVID-19.

The Red Sox reliever hadn’t been anywhere other than where he needed to be, and he had been responsible. But somehow, a test he took late last week turned out to be positive.

“It was crazy to me when I found out on Saturday morning,” Barnes said. “I was like, there’s no way, I haven’t gone anywhere. I went to the grocery store for 30 minutes and that was it. Other than that, it was the field and my house. And I felt completely fine. So I was definitely like, it didn’t feel right.”

It was an emotional three days for Barnes, who was “very relieved” to find out Monday that the positive test was a false alarm. He and the eight other Red Sox players who were deemed close contacts to Barnes were cleared to return to camp, but not before the veteran relief pitcher, who is also a union rep, feared the possibility that not only would he miss the start of the season, but some of his teammates would be out, too.

Over the last three days, Barnes said he’s taken about eight tests, and they’ve all come back negative.

“I can tell you before we had

COVID back in 2018 or 2019, I didn’t go anywhere in spring training anyways, let alone when we have a global pandemic,” Barnes said. …

“If I had done something dumb where I had gone somewhere I shouldn’t have, or I had people in town, or I had done something or even if I was symptomatic, I was like, man, I could maybe see this,” Barnes said. “I still would’ve beaten myself up, but sitting there trying to figure out where I could’ve gotten this from having followed all the protocols, making sure I wasn’t putting myself or anyone else in jeopardy, especially five days before the season starts, six days before the season starts. …

Related Articles

• Matt Barnes tests positive for COVID-19; several Red Sox in protocol as Opening Day roster takes a hit

• Matt Barnes, eight other Red Sox cleared to return despite positive COVID-19 test

• Alex Cora: ‘No rush’ to name Matt Barnes or Adam Ottavino as Red Sox closer

“There were guys in quarantine, some of the teammates who were close contacts had to quarantine. One in specific, I mean (Garrett) Whitlock, I was like man, this is going to be his first one (Opening Day). I’m like, imagine if he missed it because I was an idiot, but I didn’t do anything. So I’m sitting there kind of wrestling with those two things, and I can tell you that I’m super relieved. Super happy that it was just a misunderstanding and we are good to go at full strength, and we’ll have everyone ready to go for Thursday.”