© Kyle Terada | 2020 Jul 3
The results are in. The verdict: Not bad?
Thirty-one MLB players and seven staff members tested positive for COVID-19 in the league’s first round of testing as spring training 2.0 commenced on Friday. The 38 positives represent 1.2% of 3,185 samples collected for the first set of results. For comparison, the NBA on June 26 reported a 5.3% rate of positive tests (16 of 302) among players, while MLS announced a positive rate of 2.7% (18 of 668) among players two days later.
These initial results give the league a barometer for how well they are containing the virus as the season begins. The sample is not complete, however. The MLB’s statistics did not include the results from at least the Oakland A’s. It is not known if statistics from other teams were also not included. Of the teams sampled, 19 of which have players or a staff member who tested positive.
Teams will not release which players have tested positive for coronavirus during the season. Once a player tests positive, they will go into immediate self isolation and be placed on the injured list.
The 2020 MLB season is set to begin July 23 or 24.
