The Cubs are off to their best possible get started since 2016, however the lingering results of MLB’s newest coronavirus outbreak are hanging a damper on issues.
They’re scheduled to stand the Cardinals on Friday after the two-game collection towards the Royals in Kansas City, however 13 individuals of the Cards’ group have examined sure for the coronavirus.
MLB introduced Monday that it deliberate to have the Cardinals resume their season Friday towards the Cubs. St. Louis hasn’t performed a sport since July 29 after its three-game collection with Detroit used to be postponed. While MLB has a tentative plan to transport ahead, the Cubs are nonetheless keeping up a extra wary manner.
“Major League Baseball has a lot to work through with the Cardinals each day to try to assess the situation,” Cubs president Theo Epstein mentioned. “We’re coming near it as though we’re going there to play. We have to arrange to head, and we’ll simply wait to listen to a definitive phrase when it comes.
“If they determined that those games should be played, it’ll come hand in hand with the determination that it’s safe for us. I’m sure they’ll share the relevant information and be transparent about everything that’s transpired, so that we can, in turn, reassure our players and staff who would be making that trip that they’re not putting themselves in harm’s way.”
On Tuesday, the Cardinals put six gamers at the COVID-19 injured listing. St. Louis, with permission from the gamers, introduced that Yadier Molina, Paul DeJong, Junior Fernandez, Kodi Whitley, Edmundo Sosa and Rangel Ravelo examined sure for the virus.
The COVID-19 injured listing does no longer have a minimal collection of days. Players are eligible to go back after they transparent the league’s protocol.
“I think all that we can really do is worry about the Chicago Cubs,” left-hander Jon Lester mentioned Saturday. “I know that kind of sounds selfish with everything going on in the world. You don’t ever wish anybody to get sick or anything like that. But if we continue to follow the protocols that we have in place as the Chicago Cubs and the protocols that MLB has in place, I feel like it puts us in a good position to succeed.”
There has been heightened scrutiny of MLB’s well being and protection protocols after the league’s fresh outbreaks. According to more than one studies, Marlins and Cardinals gamers had been following well being and protection protocols loosely or on no account.
Epstein made some extent on Tuesday that it’s no longer right kind to suppose all gamers who examined sure did one thing incorrect or broke protocol, stating that the unknown nature of COVID-19 makes it tough to succeed in perfection.
“That’s no longer how this works,’’ Epstein mentioned. ‘‘Everyone I know outside of baseball who’s change into sure, who were given COVID-19 in the future, did the entirety proper. Washed their fingers, wore mask, socially-distanced, they usually nonetheless turned into sure. They don’t know the place. It may have been within the grocery retailer. It may have been strolling down the road. As some distance as I do know, that’s the case inside of baseball, too.
“Setting rumors aside, the people who I personally know in baseball who have become positive did everything right. So that’s just a good reminder for us that no set of protocols will keep everyone safe. We have to continue to learn from every day that goes on, tighten up the protocols, adjust the protocols and make sure our execution is as close to perfect as we can possibly get, knowing that even that’s not enough to ensure there won’t be positives. There will be. That’s the nature of [the coronavirus]. This is everywhere in the country. And, unfortunately, we’re going in the wrong direction nationwide. It’s a fraught environment that we’re operating in, and we’re going to need to do our absolute best and also be fortunate.”