Cardinals-Cubs game postponed due to virus

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals’ game against the Chicago Cubs on Friday was postponed after another St. Louis player tested positive for COVID-19.

Major League Baseball said the game was postponed to allow more time for additional testing and to complete the contact tracing process. The Cardinals have been off since July 31, when two players returned positive coronavirus tests. Eight players in total have tested positive, including star catcher Yadier Molina.

The Cardinals spent five days in quarantine in a Milwaukee hotel before being cleared to travel back to St. Louis Tuesday, when they returned negative tests for the second straight day. They had workouts at home and had been prepared to return to the field Friday.

MLB released its most recent testing numbers Friday. The league said there were 13,043 samples taken last week with 13 positive results for a 0.1 per cent positive rate. During the monitoring phase, there have been 53,826 overall samples that have returned 71 positives for a 0.1 per cent positive rate. Of those 71 positive results, 49 are players and 22 are staff.

Among the players who confirmed they tested positive for COVID-19 were a pair of All-Stars in Molina and Paul DeJong.

Before Friday’s postponement, the Cardinals had already added three doubleheaders against the Brewers to a previously scheduled series to make up their three games postponed last weekend. Milwaukee will host doubleheaders Sept. 18 and 20 and will serve as the home team in the opener of a twinbill in St. Louis on Sept. 25.

The Cardinals will make up this week’s series against the Detroit Tigers with doubleheaders on Aug. 13 and Sept. 10. St. Louis had been scheduled to play the Chicago White Sox at the Field of Dreams in Iowa on Aug. 13. The teams will play in Chicago on Aug. 14 instead.

CHICAGO — Cleveland Indians hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo has opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about contracting the coronavirus.

Team president Chris Antonetti said Friday that Van Burkelo had been contemplating his departure for some time because of a personal high-risk condition and for his family. The Van Burkleos have a child with special needs.

Antonetti said the challenges of travelling and the lack of room in road ballparks might have been the tipping point for 57-year-old Van Burkleo, who is in his eighth season with the club. He had been facing criticism over Cleveland’s early offensive struggles.

“We are fully supportive of Ty’s decision,” Antonetti said.”