Cardinals Make Roster Changes Due to Coronavirus Outbreak
With six players battling the coronavirus the St. Louis Cardinals are making some roster moves as the team moves towards resuming its schedule.
Coming off the ten day injured list is infielder Brad Miller. Going on the injured list are the six players that have tested positive for COVID-19: Catcher-Yadier Molina, infielders- Paul DeJong and Emundo Sosa and pitchers- Carlos Martinez, Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley.
Additionally minor league hitting coordinator Russ Steinhorn will join the major league coaching staff from the team's training site in Springfield and assistant minor league hitting coordinator Joey Hawkins will join the staff at the alternate training site in Springfield. Both moves will be effective when in-take testing is completed. In the interim, Cardinals Manager of Player Development and Performance Emily Wiebe will assist at the Springfield site.
The team says more roster moves at the Major League level will happen after Major League Baseball clears the team to play. Additionally the team will be adding to the 60 man player pool as players complete their in-take testing.
Earlier today the Cardinals announced that the team had "received no further positives after latest round of testing from Monday, August 3."
The lack of positive COVID-19 tests and the team making roster moves is good news for Cardinals fans. I think it points to the team and league getting the Cardinals back to baseball this weekend. The only thing I think that could scuttle that plan would be if continued testing showed some more positive tests on the Cardinals staff moving forward.
Baring that expect the Cardinals to resume play Friday night at Busch Stadium with a three game series against their rival the Chicago Cubs. Pregame coverage begins on News Talk 1050 KSIS "Sedalia's News Leader" at 6:20PM CDT Friday and Saturday and 5:10PM CDT on Sunday.