CINCINNATI — UPDATE @ 11:47 a.m.:
The Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball Team has confirmed that Saturday and Sunday’s game has been postponed after a player tested positive for COVID-19.
The Reds released a statement stating that the postponed games will allow time for more testing and to allow them to complete the contact tracing process.
PREVIOUS REPORT:
An unidentified Cincinnati Reds player has tested positive for COVID-19, reports CBSSports. The Reds defeated the Pirates on Friday night 8-1 and the two teams are scheduled to play again this Saturday evening. However, this Saturday’s game could possibly be postponed, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Based on the MLB response to several team outbreaks earlier this season, MLB may pause the Cincinnati’s season and begin contact tracing and additional testing to determine the extent of the outbreak. Currently, players and personnel are tested every other day during the season as part of MLB’s new monitoring program. Additional protocols take place after a positive test is confirmed, according to CBSSports.
>>Coronavirus: How the pandemic changed wedding receptions in Ohio
COVID-19 has an incubation period of up to 14 days with a median of five days, meaning a player who is exposed on Monday may test negative on Tuesday, and not test positive until his next test on Thursday or later. Players must test negative twice at least 24 hours apart to confirm, among other factors.
On the second day of the regular season Reds infielder Matt Davidson tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the injured list. Mike Moustakas and Nick Senzel were isolated after exhibiting symptoms soon thereafter, and Joey Votto was isolated after self-reporting symptoms afterward. All four players have since returned to the field, according to CBSSports.
At their current standing of 9-11, the Reds are in third place in the NL Central and currently hold the second expanded postseason wild-card spot.
This is the second Reds player to test positive this season.
We will update this story as we learn more.
Cox Media Group
