CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO/AP) -- The Chicago Cubs are a little on edge over a possible COVID outbreak among the team, after two coaches tested positive for the virus and three relievers were placed on the COVID-19-related injured list.
The Cubs announced the positive test for bullpen coach Chris Young before its series opener at Milwaukee. First base coach Craig Driver already was away from the team following his positive test.
Additionally, relievers Brandon Workman, Jason Adam, and Dan Winkler were placed on the COVID-19-related injured list on Monday. There was no word on whether their designation was the result of a positive test or contact tracing.
Left-handers Justin Steele and Brad Wieck were recalled from the team's alternate site in South Bend, Indiana. Veteran reliever Pedro Strop was selected as a replacement player from the alternate site.
Manager David Ross said the team is being “extra cautious” right now.
“I think that once you get a positive and what we got with Craig, it’s just on your radar for a while,” he said. “There’s always that underlying ‘How big is this?’ There’s concern, for sure.”
Adbert Alzolay, who pitched 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball in Monday night's 6-3 loss to the Brewers, said the team is focused on preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
“I saw more guys in the dugout today wearing the face masks,” Alzolay said. "Even to the practice, I saw guys wearing the face masks all the time. I feel that as a group we’re doing a really good job of keeping the distance between each other and following those protocols after this COVID-19 alert we’ve been having for the last three, four days.”
Related
Major League Baseball said it will ease COVID protocols for teams that reach 85 percent vaccination.
"We’re hopeful that guys will see the value in being vaccinated and trying to get towards that threshold number," Cubs manager David Ross said.
Chicago outfielder Ian Happ said he's unsure if the COVID-19 cases would lead more players on the team to get vaccinated.
“Everybody is entitled to what they believe,” Happ said "It’s important that we continue having conversations. It’s something that we’ve done a good job of in the clubhouse. I can’t speak to what anybody else is thinking or their opinion.”
Ross said the organization is hoping for the best and planning for the worst.
"The guys have been pretty diligent about wearing their masks, and I think, the way things have shook out right now, they’ve made some sense and we’re hoping for the best, but we also plan for the worst," he said.
Related
The Cubs avoided any COVID-19 scares last season on their way to the NL Central title.
“We didn’t deal with this last year and feel very fortunate in that way,” Ross said. “You’re worried about the health and well-being of others and I think it hits home every time my phone rings and it's one of the docs or trainers. Your heart stings. And we’re trying to win ballgames, too.”
Related
Meanwhile, the White Sox are at a very high vaccination level.
Following a 6-0 victory over the Royals in Thursday’s home opener, 90 percent of the White Sox traveling party received Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccinations at Guaranteed Rate Field.
"Thanks go out to the City of Chicago, the City of Chicago Public Health Department and our partners at Rush University Medical Center for not only making the vaccines available to our group, but also helping administer them despite having to sit through an extra two-hour rain delay that none of us anticipated that day.
“It's a great message to the community, and we think it's a great message to each other about being a good teammate. There's obviously individual benefits to anyone -- players included, staff included -- who gets vaccinated, even individual benefits under the protocols that we're all working under at this point. But it goes beyond what it does for the individual and goes to protecting each other and protecting the community around us. And the level of buy-in we had in our clubhouse was remarkable and something that everyone down there should be very, very proud of.”
(WBBM Newsradio and The Associated Press contributed to this copy.)