1:35 pm: General manager Mike Rizzo confirmed to reporters that Soto tested positive, although fortunately, Soto is asymptomatic (Twitter link via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). The left fielder has tested negative in recent weeks, but was positive in his most recent test, according to GM.
1:25 pm: Nationals star Juan Soto He’s tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss tonight’s first game of the season against the Yankees, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan (via Twitter). The team announced its roster shortly after the report, and Soto is not on the club’s outfielders list.
Soto, still only 21 years old, missed the first part of the summer camp while in quarantine after being exposed to someone who had tested positive, but was cleared to return to Nats’ camp a week ago today. It is unknown when the positive test occurred or if it is symptomatic, but Soto will need a couple of negative tests before he can return to the Nationals roster.
The list of the Nationals in the list Victor Robles, Adam Eaton, Michael A. Taylor, Andrew Stevenson and Emilio Bonifacio like your five open field options. Robles and Eaton will line up in center and right field, respectively, on a regular basis, so it appears that some combination of Taylor, Stevenson, and Bonifacio will shoulder most of the burden in left field during Soto’s absence.
The obvious hope here is that Soto, one of baseball’s most exciting young stars, will remain asymptomatic and return as quickly as possible. But the positive test serves as a reminder that this type of story will likely continue throughout the season. Players aren’t tested daily, and we’ve already seen multiple instances of erratic and inconsistent positive / negative results that have delayed some in getting back on the field.
