CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds scheduled a flight to Kansas City early Tuesday for a two-game series against the Royals that was put in doubt after a Cincinnati player tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend.
Players, coaches and other organization members were retested for the novel coronavirus on Saturday and Sunday after one player was sidelined because of a positive result. The final two games of a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park were postponed.
Monday was a scheduled day off, with Major League Baseball awaiting test results.
The Reds made travel plans for Kansas City and expected to start Luis Castillo (0-2) in the series opener Tuesday night, assuming it’s played. After two games in Kansas City, the Reds are scheduled to fly to St. Louis for four games and to Milwaukee for four more.
The Reds are the third MLB team to have games postponed because at least one of its players tested positive for COVID-19, joining the Marlins and the Cardinals.
The two postponed games against Pittsburgh haven’t been rescheduled.
Under medical privacy rules, teams aren’t allowed to identify players who test positive for COVID-19. The player who tested positive would be placed on the injured list before the start of the series in Kansas City.
As the Reds gathered on the field to celebrate an 8-1 win over the Pirates on Friday night, a coach took center fielder Nick Senzel aside for a discussion. Senzel was upset as he walked off the field. Manager David Bell declined to discuss it after the game.
The Reds’ Matt Davidson confirmed that he tested positive during the opening series of the abbreviated, 60-game season, forcing him onto the injured list. After his return, Davidson said subsequent tests were negative, an indication that the original test yielded a false positive.
Three other Reds — Joey Votto, Mike Moustakas and Senzel — have missed games after feeling sick, but all tested negative for the coronavirus and rejoined the team.