MLB announces coronavirus screening results, and many players go public with positive tests

As part of their intake screening process for training camps, MLB tested thousands of players and other personnel for coronavirus over the past week. The league and Players Association released initial results on Friday, though a few teams are still waiting on some of theirs — including the Oakland A’s.

Out of 3,185 samples tested so far, 38 came back positive, equaling a 1.2% rate. Of those 38 positives, 31 were players and seven were staff members, representing a total of 19 teams. That’s in addition to the 40 people who tested positive during the shutdown as reported in late June.

The 1.2% positive rate is considered to be on the lower side of expectations, but it still demonstrates the potential danger of the situation. Even with that low number, a majority of teams are still affected, and it only takes one virus case slipping into a clubhouse to cause a further outbreak.

Teams cannot disclose who has tested positive unless they receive consent from the players, so the full list of names is not yet available. However, some individuals have gone public with their positive results, including the following major leaguers (five of them All-Stars):

Last updated Wed. 7/8 at 2:00 p.m.

• RHP Silvino Bracho, ARZ (link)
• LHP Genesis Cabrera, STL (link)
• RHP Luis Cessa, NYY (link)
• RHP Junior Guerra, ARZ (link)
• LHP Darwinzon Hernandez, BOS (link)
• RHP Tommy Hunter, PHI (link)
• RHP Brad Keller, KC (link)
• LHP Jesus Luzardo, OAK (link)
• RHP Mikie Mahtook, PHI (link)
• LHP Brett Martin, TEX (link)
• LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, BOS (link)
• LHP Will Smith, ATL (link)
• LHP Josh Taylor, BOS (link)
• RHP Touki Toussaint, ATL (link)
• C Willians Astudillo, MIN (link)
• C Salvador Perez, KC (link)
• 1B Freddie Freeman, ATL (link)
• 1B Ryan O’Hearn, KC (link)
• 2B D.J. LeMahieu, NYY (link)
• 3B Miguel Sano, MIN (link)
• IF Pete Kozma, ATL (link)
• IF Luis Urias, MIL (link)
• IF/OF Scott Kingery, PHI (link)
• OF Socrates Brito, PIT (link)
• OF Kole Calhoun, ARZ (link)
• OF Delino DeShields, CLE (link)
• OF Joey Gallo, TEX (link)
• OF Tommy Pham, SD (link)

Many of those positive tests came during the intake process, but a few were from earlier in the summer and are only being publicly mentioned now. Back in June, the Rockies also announced that LHP Phillip Diehl and All-Star OF Charlie Blackmon had tested positive.

The above list only shows major leaguers, but several minor leaguers have also tested positive, including RHP Ryan Castellani (COL), RHP Blake Cederlind (PIT), RHP Edwar Colina (MIN), RHP Luis Madero, (SF) (link), LHP Angel Perdomo (MIL) (link), LHP Ricardo Sanchez (STL), SS Nick Gordon (MIN), SS Jorge Mateo (SD) (link), 3B Bobby Dalbec (BOS), OF Seth Beer (ARZ) (link), and OF Hunter Bishop (SF) (link).

The Marlins (four players, including one from the latest round of intake tests), White Sox (two players), and Mariners (“small number” of players) are among the other teams to report positive tests, though they have not yet disclosed any specific names. In June the Phillies reported a dozen cases in their camp, including seven players.

On Thursday, Philadelphia placed four players on the COVID-19 related injured list, though that doesn’t necessarily mean they tested positive: RHP Tommy Hunter, RHP Hector Neris, LHP Ranger Suarez, and IF/OF Scott Kingery. The COVID-19 related injured list can be used for any length of time with no minimum or maximum, and does not require a positive test if a player exhibits symptoms or has confirmed exposure to the virus. Players who test positive cannot return to their teams until they have tested negative twice. (Update: Hunter and Kingery did test positive.)

In addition to all of those players, there has also been a positive among the managerial ranks. Royals skipper Mike Matheny got the virus “about a month ago” and already recovered after a period of quarantine. (Update: Three Phillies coaches also tested positive.)

So far no one from Oakland A’s training camp has tested positive, but many of the team’s results haven’t come in yet. Pitchers Mike Fiers and Jesus Luzardo have been held out so far with “pending” status, and Oakland’s position players have not yet been cleared to work out as they await their own results, which were delayed by the July 4 holiday. (Update: Luzardo tested positive.)