Two additional Red Sox players are being isolated with coronavirus infections, the club told reporters, including Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald (via Twitter). Left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez and cadre prospect Bobby Dalbec tested positive for COVID-19 (and consented to the public release of that information).
Fortunately, there is no indication that either player is dealing with significant complications. It even looks like there’s still some hope that Rodriguez is ready for the start of the season – or, at the very least, the southpaw is offering the possibility in hopes of taking the honor of an Opening Day nod.
As with all other similar cases in the league, the two keys here are to ensure the health of the infected players and avoid any further transmission. Before they can join Boston’s summer camp, Rodriguez and Dalbec will have to overcome the illness and give two negative results.
It is a disappointing situation for both players. Rodriguez had an impressive spring after a quality 200-inning display in 2019. He is looking to lay the foundation for his final journey through umpiring and perhaps take another step forward as a front-line starter. Dalbec made it to Triple-A last year and earned a league-wide top 100 prospect rating from Baseball America. He surely hopes to debut in the majors in 2020. (GG) (TAKEN MELB RUMORS.COM)