Yahoo Finance Reds place Joey Votto on IL reportedly for COVID-19 related symptoms
The Cincinnati Reds placed Joey Votto on the injured list ahead of Sunday’s doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers. The move was made after the veteran first baseman self-reported symptoms for COVID-19, per a report by the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The #Reds today placed 1B Joey Votto on the injured list and reinstated from the 10-day injured list RHP Anthony DeSclafani. pic.twitter.com/Bn1Ayoqw5Y
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 2, 2020
In a coinciding move, the Reds reinstated right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani.
Votto placed on IR
Votto reportedly self-reported symptoms to the team’s medical staff on Sunday morning, per the Enquirer. He has reportedly not tested positive for COVID-19.
Players can be put on the IL for an indeterminable amount of time when it’s a COVID-19 related manner. There does not have to be a positive test to be placed on the list.
Manager David Bell told reporters earlier this week, via the Enquirer:
“For personal health, people around us, we have to continue to report the way we’re supposed to, and stay away and be very overly cautious. So that will not change our approach at all.
“We had really strict protocols in place going into this season before the pandemic hit. We’ve learned, in this game, that for the longest time, you felt like you had the flu, you had a cold, the thing to do was the play through that. ... We just can’t allow that to happen anymore. No, we are not changing that approach. We can’t.”
Second baseman Mike Moustakas self-reported symptoms last week and was on the IL for three days. He won an appeal to return.
Nick Senzel also missed three games because of reported symptoms, though he was never on the IL. Matt Davidson had a false positive that put him on the IL, but he tested negative in every test afterward.
COVID-19 outbreaks putting season in jeopardy
Self-reporting symptoms is one of the best ways for teams to avoid an outbreak of the virus like what happened last week.
The Miami Marlins had more than 17 people test positive for the virus last week. They had reportedly gone out for drinks before the outbreak spread through the team. The St. Louis Cardinals also had an outbreak of their own.
MLB updated the schedule for the Phillies-Yankees and Marlins-Orioles series on Saturday.
There was 20 percent of the league that was out of action Friday due to COVID-19 issues. Commissioner Rob Manfred reportedly warned on Friday that the MLB season could shut down as soon as Monday if outbreaks don’t get under control.
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