Juan Soto's Positive COVID-19 Test is the New Normal
Juan Soto has tested positive for COVID-19 just hours before his Washington Nationals face the New York Yankees to open the 2020 MLB season. The young superstar outfielder's positive test is the kind of thing we should expect to happen often this season, as players are going to contract the coronavirus and be pulled from lineups at the last minute. This is almost certainly the new normal for all sports, not just baseball. Soto was tested two days ago and received the results on Thursday afternoon.
Washington Nationals star Juan Soto has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss tonight's season opener against the New York Yankees, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 23, 2020
Had the city of DC not changed their rules, a positive test for Soto would have forced many others into a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Am told the team is doing its due diligence with contact tracing and Soto is doing "fine" all things considered.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) July 23, 2020
The Nationals have all the rest of their tests back, only Soto was positive. They will be tested again today. No way to know the full extent of this right now.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) July 23, 2020
Soto will now miss two weeks if he doesn't have any complications from the virus. Hopefully he winds up being fine, but his absence could be devastating for the defending World Series champions. In a shortened, 60-game season, losing a star player could cost a team dearly, and Soto is a franchise cornerstone.
In 2019, Soto hit .282 with 34 home runs, 110 RBI an OPS of .949 and an fWAR of 4.8. He's one of the game's best young players and he came up big in the postseason as well. Now he's gone from the team's lineup for at least the next two weeks.
The Nationals can only hope the virus didn't spread beyond Soto. Another key bat being removed from the lineup could help push them out of contention before the season really gets going.
These are the things that have to be considered as we move forward with sports in 2020. Players will test positive for the virus and they could spread it to teammates. It's a dangerous game leagues are playing, but everyone has signed up for it. This is the new normal.