Four Astros on COVID-19 list tentatively set to rejoin team – Houston Chronicle

DENVER Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez are tentatively scheduled to rejoin the Astros on Tuesday, but Jose Altuve will remain on the COVID-19 injured list, a person with knowledge of the situation said on Monday afternoon.

Bregman, Alvarez, catcher Martin Maldonado and infielder Robel Garca were scheduled to fly to Colorado on Monday afternoon, but still must clear intake testing before being officially reinstated to the major league roster. The four men missed four games while on the COVID-19 injured list due to health and safety protocols.

The Astros have not specified why the five players went on the COVID-19 injured list or whether anyone tested positive for the virus. Major League Baseball mandates a seven-day quarantine for all players deemed close contacts to positive tests. Any player or staff member that tests positive for the virus must quarantine for 10 days. It is unknown whether any of the five players were deemed close contacts to a positive case.

The five players went on the injured list Wednesday, beginning a rough stretch of coronavirus-related news across the sport. The Minnesota Twins announced four positive tests within their organization that caused games Saturday, Sunday and Monday to be postponed.

There are nuances between the various situations in terms of threats and concerns about further spread in the clubhouse and that necessitated shutting things down, general manager James Click told the Astros pregame radio show Sunday.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed three players on the COVID-19 injured list Monday, too, while two of their coaches also entered COVID-19 protocols. The Phillies home game against the San Francisco Giants proceeded on as scheduled.

The Astros played all four games without their five players. Starter Lance McCullers Jr. questioned Major League Baseballs decision to allow Wednesdays game against the Detroit Tigers to proceed in the wake of Houstons five-player exodus.

The Astros, like the Phillies, played that game at home and were more easily able to summon five players from their alternate training site to fill in. Ronnie Dawson, Alex De Goti, Taylor Jones, Abraham Toro and Garrett Stubbs all accompanied the team to Seattle but four will be sent out when and if the major league foursome is officially cleared.

Neither Dawson nor De Goti was on the teams full 40-man roster before last week. Players on the COVID-19 IL do not count against the 40-man, meaning the club was able to add them without penalty.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Astros received approval for their additions as temporary. The club will not be required to expose Dawson or De Goti to waivers if they choose to take them off the 40-man roster once the major leaguers are reinstated.

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Four Astros on COVID-19 list tentatively set to rejoin team - Houston Chronicle