Martin County West graduate Brandon Williamson, a rookie left-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, was scratched from a scheduled Sunday start vs. the Chicago Cubs after testing positive for COVID-19.
On Saturday, he was placed on the COVID IL list retroactive to Friday. Players on the COVID IL list are out a minimum of seven days.
He is the fourth Reds pitcher to test positive this week. The Reds have no healthy starting pitchers who were in the big leagues as recently as June 4.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, this was the Reds’ rotation on that date (and where they are now):
Luke Weaver (released, now with Seattle Mariners)
Hunter Greene (COVID IL)
Ben Lively (COVID IL)
Brandon Williamson (COVID IL)
Graham Ashcraft (15-day IL)
Ashcraft was placed on the IL Saturday because of a right big toe injury that has hampered him for the past week. In addition to Ashcraft potentially being out for the season, rehabbing starter Nick Lodolo was officially ruled out for the year last week.
It’s the first team outbreak of COVID this season.
“I always think with what’s going on around, it could be worse,” Bell told The Enquirer about surges in new COVID cases being reported in several regions of the country — including San Francisco, where the Reds just played in the past week. “We were very closely connected as a team over the course of the last week. We’ve been together a lot in close quarters.”
That included more than eight hours stuck on their charter on a tarmac Sunday night in Phoenix because of mechanical issues before they flew to San Francisco.
Bell said it’s impossible to know whether the Reds are out of the woods yet with the outbreak or even exactly how quickly some of the pitchers with COVID might take to return.
“These guys that are out, they’re out,” he said. “They’re feeling bad.”
Greene was still in San Francisco as of Saturday, Bell said, staying active while isolated from the team and “progressing.”
It’s also unclear how many players or staff might be impacted.
“I don’t know,” said Bell, who said at least two members of the support staff, but no on-field coaches, are among those who have tested positive. “These guys (on the IL) are the ones that are really feeling bad, and they were tested, and we were able to replace them and get players that are ready to play.”
Cincinnati wraps up a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs today (Sunday).
The Reds enter the day one percentage point out of the final wild card berth in the National League. Arizona and San Francisco both have a 70-66 record (.515) and Cincinnati is 71-67 (.514).
Cincy is 6.5 games behind division leading Milwaukee in the NL Central and 2 games behind second-place Milwaukee.