The San Diego Padres placed shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and right fielder Wil Myers on the injured list Tuesday after they tested positive for COVID-19.
Neither player had any coronavirus symptoms, according to Padres manager Jayce Tingler.
The move to sideline Tatis came before the Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 8-1 on Tuesday night in Denver. Myers started the game but was removed in the third inning after the results of his COVID-19 test were learned.
First baseman Eric Hosmer was pulled from the game in the seventh inning due to contact tracing, and he subsequently was placed on the COVID-19 injured list, too.
Jurickson Profar and Jorge Mateo were placed on the IL pregame due to COVID-19 protocols. Tingler said the two utility players were identified through contact tracing.
The timetable for the return of any of the quintet was uncertain.
The Padres will have to add roster reinforcements ahead of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Wednesday.
Tingler said the COVID-19 news was a stunning development when he spoke with reporters pregame.
“Naturally, you’re punched in the stomach a little bit,” Tingler said. “First of all, you want to make sure for Tatis in this situation, is he feeling OK? It was good to see him over FaceTime, and he’s feeling well. But you know he’s crushed inside, mentally.”
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Tingler said you never know what is lurking when it comes to the virus.
“Unfortunately, that is how COVID seems to work,” Tingler said. “It can pop up anytime, anyplace, anywhere.”
Ha-Seong Kim moved into Tatis’ role as shortstop for Tuesday’s game and went 1-for-5.
Tatis is batting .240 with nine home runs, 23 runs scored and 14 RBIs in 26 games this season. Last year’s National League Silver Slugger winner has also stolen seven bases, tied for most in the National League.
Profar is hitting .234 in 34 games and Mateo is batting .250 in 22 games.
Myers went 0-for-1 on Tuesday, dropping his average to .255 in 35 games. Hosmer had an RBI single in his fourth at-bat Tuesday, and he is hitting .305 through 35 games.
San Diego recalled right-hander Nabil Crismatt, outfielder John Andreoli and utility player Tucupita Marcano to fill the pregame roster openings.
Marcano took over for Myers in the lineup and went 1-for-3 with a walk.
Crismatt is 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in six relief appearances this season and Marcano went 2-for-12 (.167) with one RBI in 10 games.
Andreoli hasn’t appeared for the Padres but batted .230 over 61 at-bats in 2018 while splitting time with the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles.
The Rockies activated right-hander Antonio Senzatela from the 10-day injured list to make Tuesday’s start. Senzatela, who had been sidelined due to a right groin strain, took the loss after yielding four runs on seven hits in five-plus innings.
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–Field Level Media