WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals player Juan Soto tested positive for coronavirus and will be sitting out of the Opening Day game against the Yankees, the team confirmed Thursday.
The 21-year-old Soto, nicknamed "Childish Bambino," is a rising star for the team. The Nationals will still play without fans at Nats Park tonight with Soto off the roster. According to team manager Mike Rizzo, the results came in Thursday morning after Soto was tested two days prior.
Soto likely will not return for at least two weeks as he undergoes mandatory quarantine and safety protocols.
It's not the first time the team has had to deal with positive tests.
Just a few days after the Nationals kicked off the post-pandemic season, Mike Rizzo, president of baseball operations and general manager for the team, hit the brakes. Other Nationals players like Ryan Zimmerman have opted out of playing for the remainder of the 2020 season in an effort to protect their families' health.
Rizzo canceled the scheduled team workout earlier in July because the team was still awaiting several coronavirus test results.
"Per MLB’s protocol, all players and staff were tested for COVID-19 on Friday, July 3. Seventy-two hours later, we have yet to receive the results of those tests," Rizzo said. "We cannot have our players and staff work at risk. Therefore, we have canceled our team workout scheduled for this morning."
The cancellation comes after the Nationals began the summer training camp on July 4.