The Red Sox have announced that left-handed pitchers Darwinzon Hernández and Josh Taylor Both tested positive for COVID-19, with Ian Browne of MLB.com reporting. Taylor’s positive test came during admission to the Red Sox camp, while Hernandez stayed home. Both players will be quarantined and cannot return to the team until they have tested negative twice.
Obviously, both players gave the team permission to reveal their identity as the players who received positive results. Boston captain Ron Roenicke did not say whether Taylor and Hernandez exhibited symptoms, which could alter their timeline upon returning to the diamond.
Left-handed teammate of the Red Sox Eduardo Rodriguez, who declined to report to Boston, is awaiting test results after coming into contact with a person who may have contracted the virus.
Both Hernandez and Taylor appear to be big pieces in the Boston bullpen this year, and there is a considerable chance that the Red Sox will have to start the season without them. The two left-handers had their first foray into the big leagues last year, with Hernandez pitching more than 30 innings for Boston and Taylor adding nearly 50. Their roles this year could have expanded, with relatively limited left-hander options in the bullpen mix for the Red Sox. Josh Osich is the other left-handed reliever in Boston’s 60-man group of players.
Clearly, though, the primary focus will be on the health and recovery of Red Sox pitchers, and we wish them a quick and orderly return to health. We hope to see Hernandez and Taylor on the mound and in good health at Fenway Park in the near future.
