PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Most MLB teams have reached an 85% vaccination rate among Tier 1 personnel, thus permitting eased COVID-19 protocols. The Phillies are not one of those teams.
Third baseman Alec Bohm tested positive for COVID-19 but was asymptomatic as of Saturday night, according to manager Joe Girardi. The Phils removed Bohm from Saturday’s 11-2 win over the Red Sox as a result. Bohm is out for at least 10 days.
Related
Due to contact tracing, starting pitcher Aaron Nola and relief pitchers Bailey Falter and Connor Brogdon were also put on the COVID-19-related injured list. Fully vaccinated players do not need to go through contact tracing, according to several other outlets.
“Unfortunately, we know enough about how this goes,” Phillies general manager Sam Fuld said on the Phillies Radio Network pregame show, before Sunday’s 5-4 win over Boston.
The Phils have had multiple situations with COVID-19. Reaching 85% vaccinated remains questionable if the club continues at this rate.
“It is what it is,” Girardi said. “It’s not like we’re surprised that something can happen, so we always try to stay prepared. The guys try to do the best they can to protect themselves. There are some strains that are extremely contagious, but we had a plan today.”
Related
After Saturday’s win, Girardi said he realized they’d be in a pickle on Sunday.
Girardi used six relievers — highlighted by Ranger Suárez pitching a seven-out save and Cristopher Sánchez tossing three solid innings. It was also Sánchez’s first major league win.
Offensively, Ronald Torreyes started at third base and hit a three-run home run over the Green Monster, notably against former Phillies pitcher Nick Pivetta.
“I’ve said all along, this is a resilient group, and we’ve probably had as many tough losses as any team in baseball and we have found a way,” said Girardi.
His club has found a way to be 44-44 at the unofficial halfway point of the season thanks to a 5-2 road trip, which included back-to-back series wins at Wrigley Field and Fenway Park.
The Phils are playing their best baseball of the season, and for that reason, the All-Star break has come at a bad time.
However, its arrival also allows more time for Nola, Falter and Brogdon to hopefully test negative for COVID-19 and not miss any more games. Bohm’s absence from games is about half of what it would have been if it weren’t for the break.
Related
