MLB Outlines Plan to Deal With Potential Positive COVID-19 Tests

We’re still waiting for concrete news about the return of several pro sports to the playing surface as we’ve reached mid-May on the calendar. The NBA and NHL are working toward their returns, though it’s unclear as to whether they’ll try to hold any of their remaining regular season games or go straight to the playoffs. When it comes to major league baseball, we know the parameters of the proposal that the owners have agreed to and sent to the players in order to try and get their season, which was slated to start March 26. We’ve gotten a little more clarification in the last day or so about the latest regarding the negotiations.

Commissioner Rob Manfred stated that the league has a plan in place on how to deal with potential positive COVID-19 tests going forward. He stated that frequent testing is going to be a key component of the restart for the league and that a positive test wouldn’t necessarily ground an entire team for a 14-day quarantine period. In an appearance on CNN, Manfred had this to say about the situation:

"All of our players would be tested multiple times a week -- PCR testing -- to determine whether or not they have the virus. That testing would be supplemented, less frequently, by antibody testing, as well."

The testing would be done in a lab in Utah, which has been utilized by MLB previously in the testing of samples for PEDs. In what is a smart move by MLB, they have chosen to fully fund the testing capabilities for COVID-19 with a relatively quick turnaround on tests. Expected results are slated to be available in 24 hours. Manfred said that if a player tested positive, they would be quarantined until a point in time where they recorded two negative COVID-19 tests. MLB would also do contact tracing to grant immediate tests for those who had come in contact with the positive-testing individual in order to let them know if they, too, were suffering from the coronavirus.

The expectation is that the league hopes that most, if not all, players that are part of the MLB Players Association, would play should the deal be struck. That could be overly optimistic as we’ve already seen Blake Snell rant about how he doesn’t want less money to play and planned to sit out the season in order to prepare for 2021. There likely will be those who may decide to sit out due to other health conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID-19. Manfred himself said that “At the end of the day, however, if there are players with either health conditions or just their own personal doubts, we never force them, try to force them, to come back to work."

While there are obviously other issues at hand that need resolution regarding the return of MLB, like money, the fact that the league has been proactive in coming up with a way to try to do due diligence in regards to providing the safest possible environment is sound. Hopefully, it’s the first step in the path that brings us America’s national pastime back in the near future.