Brewers’ McCutchen tests positive for COVID
ATLANTA » Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Andrew McCutchen tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.
McCutchen returned to the team hotel in Atlanta and was placed on the COVID-19 injured list.
The Brewers recalled infielder Mike Brosseau from Triple-A Nashville but it was not known if he would arrive in Atlanta before the start of Saturday night’s game against the Braves.
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said McCutchen, 38, reported symptoms on Saturday.
Counsell said it was not yet known if McCutchen will remain in the Atlanta hotel when the team leaves after Sunday’s game to begin a series in Cincinnati on Monday.
“We’re trying to figure out what to do,” Counsell said, before adding the continued battles with the coronavirus are “here this year for every team. We’re not the only team by any means. We just saw Cincinnati got hit hard with it.”
Red Sox’s Sale has setback
BOSTON » Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale suffered a setback in his recovery from a fractured rib cage suffered in late February, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said before Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox.
“He’s had a small, it’s a personal medical issue — it’s not orthopedic, it’s not COVID-related — that paused his throwing for a little while,” Bloom said.
“It’s not baseball-related,” he added. “He should be back throwing in a matter of days.”
When asked if that will push Sale’s potential return from the 60-day injured list in early June to later that month, Bloom said: “I think, roughly speaking, we were hoping to have him back around when he was eligible. I think we’re talking a few weeks (later) — that’s to have him back to start a major league game.”
The Red Sox signed Sale to a fiveyear, $145 million contract in 2019. Since then, he was just 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA in ’19 before he had Tommy John surgery on his 31st birthday — March 30, 2020.
Mariners calling up top prospect
SEATTLE » The Seattle Mariners are calling up top pitching prospect George Kirby to take the fifth spot in the rotation and he’ll make his major league debut on Sunday against Tampa Bay.
Kirby will take the spot of Matt Brash after he was optioned to TripleA Tacoma on Thursday. Seattle manager Scott Servais said Brash will be converted into being a reliever for the rest of the season in the hopes of bolstering the Mariners bullpen.
Kirby started the season at Double-A Arkansas and has been terrific with a 2-0 record and 1.82 ERA in five starts. He had 32 strikeouts and five walks in his 24.2 innings pitched.
Kirby, 24, was Seattle’s first-round draft pick in 2019. Brash’s spot originally would have come up on Monday, but Seattle is swapping Kirby and righthander Chris Flexen who will now pitch on Monday against the Phillies.