WASHINGTON — A player for the Washington Nationals tested positive for COVID-19, and four teammates and a staff member have been quarantined on the eve of the start of the regular season after contact tracing, general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday.
The result came from a test conducted Monday, while the Nationals were still in Florida for spring training.
They then traveled to Washington, where the club is scheduled to host the New York Mets on Thursday night for opening day.
“We’re still in the process of finding out exactly what their status is,” Rizzo said about those who were determined to have been in close contact with the player who tested positive for the illness caused by the coronavirus. “They’re certainly out for tomorrow’s game.”
The Nationals planned to have a workout at their stadium on Wednesday, but it was rained out.
Throughout spring training, the Nationals did not have a positive COVID-19 test within the players on its team. The test that came back positive in Florida this week, is the only known test to come back positive since the team had been down there at the end of February.