ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Yairo Muñoz, an infielder for the Boston Red Sox, became the newest member of the team to test positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday amid an ongoing outbreak.
Since last Friday, eight Boston players and two coaches have been isolated, either by testing positive or by being in close contact with someone who has become ill.
“This hurts us,” commented director of sports operations Chaim Bloom. “How else can one react? With each one it has been really difficult. This goes beyond baseball.”
Bloom said that most of the players who have tested positive were vaccinated.
“Overall, we are quite optimistic that everyone is going to come out of this without long-term worries, but obviously we don’t know that for sure until everyone gets over it,” he said. “Symptom levels have varied.”
When asked if he was frustrated that there are some unvaccinated players on the Boston campus, Bloom said he wishes everyone in the organization were immunized.
“I am a strong advocate for vaccines, and so is our organization,” said Bloom.
All-star shortstop Xander Bogaerts was retired in the second inning of Tuesday’s game, a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, after testing positive.
Before that duel, reliever Hirokazu Sawamura was reported to have also contracted the coronavirus.
Venezuelan left-hander Martín Pérez and right-hander Matt Barnes were added to the COVID-19 list on Monday. Also, reliever Josh Taylor and starting coach Tom Goodwin were found to be in close contact with infected people.
Ramón Vázquez, quality control coach, tested positive.
Two infielders, Puerto Rican Kiké Hernández and Christian Arroyo, were also placed on the list on Friday. They are still in Cleveland, where Boston was playing when they both tested positive.
“Kiké feels great, Christian is better,” Puerto Rican manager Alex Cora said.
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