The Tampa Bay Rays keep players and staff updated on the increase in COVID-19 cases in Florida.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said before Monday night’s game against Seattle that the team’s coaching staff “are pretty adamant about messaging and keeping people up to date” on the situation.
“See, we’re all concerned,” Cash said. “I think the players are very aware. We are all with our fingers crossed that this is going to be overcome to some degree but at the moment we do not believe that is the case. So we try to do our part to keep our group as safe as possible. “
Florida registered 21,683 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the highest number in a single day in the state since the start of the pandemic, according to federal health statistics.
The figures were released Saturday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDS).
The rise in infections has taken its toll on baseball in the Sunshine State.
Class-A games for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Florida Complex League were canceled or postponed at the rookie level in Clearwater. Other minor league teams in the state have placed players on the COVID-19 inactive list but have continued to play.
Rays reliever Nick Anderson was scheduled to join Durham’s Triple-A squad last Thursday to continue his rehab after a sprained right elbow, but failed to do so due to COVID-19-related issues. .
Most of the employees who work inside Tropicana Field put their masks back on before Monday night’s game against the Mariners. (AP)