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It is a stifling hot day in Chicago with highs in the 90s and real feels approaching 100 degrees. It’s the type of day where you want to get your workouts, errands and anything that will take you out of your air conditioning done as early as possible. The Chicago Cubs, however, were not able to get their workouts in early today because they were delayed by the lack of COVID-19 test results that impacted the Athletics, Angels, Astros, Nationals and Cardinals over the holiday weekend:
David Ross announces the Cubs have pushed back today’s workout schedule because the team is still awaiting COVID-19 test results.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) July 7, 2020
While it’s been reported that the A’s were back on the field today, this news out of Cardinals camp was less than encouraging:
I’m hearing that #Cardinals players don’t have much more info than we do at this point. Expecting a workout but haven’t heard. https://t.co/OkbZfb9MVF
— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) July 7, 2020
My jaw dropped as I read Saxon’s tweet because it’s the second day in a row the Cardinals have been delayed over testing, and beyond that, the idea that no one seems to know what to expect or when they can workout is just wild.
It wasn’t just the NL Central today, either. News leaked that the San Francisco Giants had joined the teams with delays this afternoon.
Now the #SFGiants halt workouts https://t.co/WMas3X6nYV
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 7, 2020
That’s on top of yesterday’s news that the Angels threw caution to the wind and hosted an “optional workout” and the Yankees apparently just ran their own tests when the testers didn’t show up on Sunday. I cannot stress enough that both of these are terrible workarounds:
The #Angels are now having an optional workout today with the delay in test results.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 6, 2020
Yankees were not visited by tester Sunday, but like Angels had kits available, conducted tests and sent them out, source says. NYY did not alter workout plans, reasoning players also at risk away from park, and negative result from test two days before would not necessarily hold.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 6, 2020
Some are asking: How can tests be conducted without a tester present? Tests are saliva tests. Players spitting into cups. https://t.co/yVlBbJ653s
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 6, 2020
That’s right — the Angels just decided it was okay to make the workout optional and the Yankees spit into cups and decided to play. There is nothing at all to see here, I’m sure this is fine.
Cubs manager David Ross urged patience this afternoon as the MLB and MLBPA are actively seeking a second testing site. But I have to be honest with you all, as much as I’d love it to be safe to play baseball so I can end this diary in a little over two weeks a robust testing regime is critical to any hope of a season. Unfortunately, the current testing regime appears to be a house of cards.