San Diego Padres outfielder Tommy Pham tested positive for the coronavirus, general manager AJ Preller announced Friday.
Pham is asymptomatic and isolates himself, Preller said, adding that he has been in contact with Pham every day.
Preller said the team is following contact tracking protocols and testing protocols. Pham will have to test negative twice in a 24-hour period before returning to the field amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“When Tom clears all the boxes, we’ll talk about him going back to play,” Preller said.
Teams may disclose the names of the positive players only when the player gives his authorization.
“I think what we are going to learn is that it will be a very smooth process,” said Preller at Petco Park, where the team was working with a full team for the first time at summer training camp. “You may have a full camp one day and not the next, because there is a lot of testing going on … It will literally be like every day.”
Pham, 32, joined the Padres in the offseason, coming from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade in December that also earned Padres prospect Jake Cronenworth in exchange for outfielder Hunter Renfroe. Pham hit .273 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs for the Rays last season.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
.
