BOSTON, Massachusetts — Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez will be shut down from all baseball activities for at least a week after he experienced a setback in his return from COVID-19.
Rodriguez could miss a significant portion of the shortened 60-game season following coronavirus complications, though the team is "hopeful" he'll pitch this season.
Manager Ron Roenicke says Rodriguez hasn’t had another positive test after testing positive for the coronavirus before the start of summer camp. But he said the left-hander did experience some minor complications that the team's medical staff felt were serious enough to restrict him from activities for now.
“As with all our players who have tested positive for COVID, we have continued to monitor them with our medical staff,” Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke told MLB.com reporter Ian Browne. “In Eddie’s case, they have discovered some minor complications with him. But because of it, we’re taking everything very seriously with this matter and we’re going to shut Eddie down from baseball activities for a period of time.”
Rodriguez had been in line to be the opening day starter Friday against the Baltimore Orioles. Those duties will fall to right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.
Major League Baseball is taking precautions to combat the spread of COVID-19 and keep players safe. Players will be wearing masks, and ballparks will not have fans—instead, cardboard cutouts of fans will fill stadiums, and cheers will be piped in as sound effects for the broadcasts.
The season will officially get underway Thursday night in Washington as the reigning World Series champions face the New York Yankees.
