Wood positive for COVID; Cueto ill

SAN FRANCISCO >> The Giants will have to battle two of the best teams in baseball this week, the Brewers and the Dodgers.

They’re also battling COVID-19.

The Giants placed their probable starting pitchers for Monday’s and Tuesday’s games against the Brewers at Oracle Park — Johnny Cueto and Alex Wood — on the injured list Monday afternoon.

Giants manager Gabe

Kapler said that Wood had tested positive for COVID and was symptomatic.

He’s really broken really upset and I think he’s having an awesome season and very disappointed and that season is gonna be interrupted for a bit,” Kapler said.

Cueto, Monday’s probable starter, had not tested positive for COVID, but Kapler said he had flu-like symptoms, resulting in his scratch from the lineup. Reliever José Álvarez will start Monday’s game, with multiple bullpen arms expected to follow him.

Kapler declined to disclose either pitcher’s vaccination status. San Francisco lost infielder Donovan Solano to the COVID list last week.

“We’re a very vaccinated group,” Kapler said. “After Donovan’s positive test, we’ve all ramped up the sensitivity level. Last night on the plane and the bus, there were a lot of masks on… It’s really important to take every possible precautionary measure.”

“We’re far from perfect and everybody makes mistakes, but I think we’re pretty diligent.”

The threat of COVID seems was made even more apparent by Solano’s positive test.

Kapler said he is optimistic that the Giants players won’t struggle amid Monday’s news.

“This group of players — particularly the core group of players — is very even… [they] never too high or too low. So you introduce a challenge to people with personalities like that, they’re generally not gonna get bent out of shape and especially, anxious, upset.”