WASHINGTON – The Nationals and Atlanta Braves were still waiting Sunday afternoon to see if Major League Baseball will allow their future series to continue as scheduled, while Washington faces a coronavirus outbreak that could prevent the participation of 11 players.
Four national players have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week and are isolating themselves, while a total of seven others are now in quarantine as follow-up contacts have determined they could have been exposed to the disease.
General Manager Mike Rizzo said none of these 11 – most of whom, though not all, should be on the opening list – will be available if the three-game set with Atlanta begins Monday. Rizzo did not publicly identify any of the players involved or the two staff members who were also quarantined due to possible exposure.
Washington hasn’t played a game yet this season; the three-game opening series against the New York Mets on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday has been postponed.
“Believe me, we’re in constant contact with MLB. As soon as a decision is made, they’ll let us know. They’ve been through this before. I know exactly what they need to do and when we’re going to do this to prepare for a game on Monday, “Rizzo said in a video call with reporters Sunday.
“We’re getting ready – and we’re getting ready – to play on Monday,” he said.
Team training was not allowed from the start of the outbreak, which Rizzo says should happen before Washington faces an opponent, but the pitchers were able to go to Nationals Park one by one on Saturday and Sunday to throw. bullpen sessions.
“The position of the players has not worked for a week. And the pitchers did not throw any competitive pitch in the same period of time. It is something we take very seriously here. We are thinking of creative ways in the protocol and under the guidance to prepare these guys be more prepared, “Rizzo said.
“It makes a lot of sense for baseball, in terms of protecting players, for these guys to go through a full training session before they get on the field,” he added.
The reigning NL East champion, Braves, is 0-3, coming out of a season opener in which they managed to score a total of three rounds at the Philadelphia Phillies.
And, although Atlanta certainly didn’t know, 24 hours before Monday’s first scheduled launch in Washington, when his next game will be, the brave Travis D’Arnaud said, “I know we have to be ready to play. It’s better to be ready to play than to be surprised. “
Braves manager Brian Snitker has said he will assume his club will play on Monday until they find out otherwise.
“This is the COVID era. Everything is fluid,” Snitker said. “If I get a call tomorrow at 10 o’clock [postponing the game], will not surprise me. I don’t expect it, but it could happen. “
Rizzo said all of his team’s coronavirus tests continued to come back negative, except for the four players who are in isolation.
And he said the four feel much, much better, adding that any symptoms that appeared earlier have diminished.
Now it’s up to MLB to know when the national teams can start their season.
“We want to do everything we can to catch this in the bud right here, right now,” Rizzo said. “So I think it’s very much taken into account when we talk [about] in the next two days. “