Martin County West graduate Brandon Williamson, a rookie left-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, has been scratched from a scheduled Sunday start vs. the Chicago Cubs after testing positive for COVID-19.
He is the fourth Reds pitcher to test positive this week, which may jeopardize the team's postseason chances. The Reds entered Saturday's game against the Cubs just one game out of a National League wild-card spot, and are in third place in the NL Central, 6.5 games out of first place.
Starter Hunter Greene was placed on the COVID-19 injured list following his 4-1 win at San Francisco on Wednesday.
Right-handed relievers Fernando Cruz and Ben Lively were placed on the list between games of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs, and Williamson joined them today (Saturday). Per the updated rules of the COVID IL, the players must miss a minimum of seven days.
Manager David Bell said a couple of support staff members have tested positive as well. The team has reinstated some of the protocols that were in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We're taking some precautions, for sure,” Bell said. “Not letting anyone in the clubhouse. We've asked anyone who's absolutely not necessary to not be in there.”
While there is no way specifically to know how the outbreak happened, the club did spend more than eight hours stuck on its charter plane, which was delayed and sitting on the tarmac because of a mechanical issue, after Sunday's game in Phoenix in the midst of a 10-game road trip.
“We were very closely connected as a team. We were together in close quarters,” Bell said. "It could be worse, a lot worse.”
Information for this newsletter came from reds.com and The Associated Press.