Red Sox Shut Down Spring Training Facility After Minor Leaguer Tests Positive for Coronavirus
The entire MLB is shut down right now because of coronavirus. Teams are adopting the practice of social distancing, and that means sending players home to avoid the potential spread of COVID-19.
On that note, Boston Red Sox are now dealing with concerning news: One minor leaguer has tested positive for coronavirus. The player reportedly received the test after leaving Spring Training in Fort Myers, Florida, but the team is taking no chances and is sanitizing the entire Fenway South facility and quarantining those who came in contact with the player.
Fenway South is undergoing a deep cleaning. Any players and staff who came into contact with the player will self-quarantine for two weeks.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 25, 2020
Red Sox say the player is doing well but will not comment further. https://t.co/K6hxySrQXJ
The good news is that the unnamed player is understood to be doing well. The bad news? The same cannot yet be said for certain regarding the other individuals who have now begun quarantining themselves for the next two weeks.
It is possible that this player contracted the virus after leaving the team when Spring Training was halted, but there is no way of knowing for sure.
#RedSox announce that a minor league player has tested positive for COVID-19.
— Guerin Austin (@guerinaustin) March 25, 2020
-They are shutting down Fenway South from all activity effective today, for at least two weeks
-Fenway South/JetBlue Park will undergo a “deep cleaning” to fully disinfect the facility.
So, any player still training down at Fenway South can't really afford to risk it -- they've got to quarantine themselves for two weeks. That is disappointing for anyone still hanging around Fort Myers, but the Red Sox are smart to not take any chances.