Molina among 13 Cards with virus
MILWAUKEE — In a social media post on Instagram, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina said he was “saddened” to reveal he was one of the seven players who tested positive for covid-19.
Through the team, five of his teammates also revealed they had positive tests: AllStar shortstop Paul DeJong, relievers Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley, infielder Edmundo Sosa, and corner infielder Rangel Ravelo.
“I am saddened to test positive for COVID-19 even after continuing with the recommended prevention measures,” Molina wrote in Spanish on a post that came accompanied with a photo of him walking onto the field carrying his catching gear. His message continued, in Spanish: “I will do everything in my power to return as soon as possible for the Cardinals fans, the city of St. Louis, and my teammates.”
DeJong issued a statement through the team: “I am disappointed to share that I have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, even though I followed team protocols. I will approach my healing as I do all other things in my life — with education, commitment, and persistence. I look forward to re-joining the team soon and ask that you respect my privacy at this time.”
The Cardinals had 13 members of the traveling party test positive for the virus. All 13 have returned to their St. Louis-area homes.
One player declined to be identified by the team and has also not responded to requests for confirmation by a reporter.
Also on Tuesday, the Cardinals placed the six players who confirmed to have tested positive on the IL list, along with pitcher Carlos Martinez.
Eight of the 13 had symptoms of the virus that ranged from coughs and headaches to low-grade fevers. The individuals with symptoms were not identified.
The remainder of the team stayed in quarantine in a downtown Milwaukee hotel. The team has a scheduled flight home to St. Louis today, but travelers must clear two consecutive days without another positive test before they are cleared to go. On Tuesday, the team learned, via an official, it had cleared one day without a new positive test.
The Cardinals had one new positive test in the 24 hours before Monday, and the other positive tests were confirmed from the weekend spike in those results.
Six members of the team’s staff also tested positive for the virus over the past weekend. Media relations director Brian Bartow confirmed his positive test in a text to the media.
The Cardinals said Monday they will have to replace members of Mike Shildt’s coaching staff in the coming days.
Each player who tested positive will be out for at least eight days since their most recent positive test. To return to the team and the field, players must have consecutive negative tests — including a confirmation test from MLB’s lab — and they must be taken 24 hours apart. That begins the reentry process that also requires a player be symptom-free, go at least 72 hours without a fever, and pass a series of other exams, including an antibody test and a cardiac evaluation.
The Cardinals will be able to replace all seven players on the active roster. The injury list for covid-19 does not have a minimum number of days, so players are eligible to come off of it when they are cleared by protocols.
The positive tests leave the Cardinals without their cleanup hitter DeJong and their bedrock Molina. Whitley made his major-league debut this season and had worked his way toward high-leverage assignments in the coming games.