Nats Outfielder Juan Soto Tests Positive for COVID-19 Hours Before The 1st Pitch

Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto has tested positive for COVID-19.

The announcement comes only hours before MLB's abbreviated regular season gets underway when the defending World Series champion Washington Nationals host the New York Yankees.

In 2019, his first full season in MLB, Soto hit .282 with 34 HR and 110 RBI while hitting .277 with 5 HR and 14 RBI in the post-season including 3 HR in the World Series. The sky seems to be the limit. But not only could it fall for Soto it could fall for the rest of the team.

I don't think MLB has any more of a handle on COVID-19 than the rest of the country and is one of my three strikes against the 2020 MLB season.

I really hope this game gets postponed. Although Soto, 21, is asymptomatic and the odds of him not having close contact with his teammates, coaching staff or other members of the Nationals' organization seem remote. As baseball writer Nick Stellini put it on Twitter, "How can the Nats possibly play tonight if they don't know who Juan Soto may or may not have exposed to COVID-19?"

Let us not forget several members of the Nats have bowed out of playing season due to COVID-19 concerns - Ryan Zimmerman, Joe Ross and Wellington Castillo. Their decision was most prudent. But where does that leave other members of the organization? Players can still opt out. Should there be a proliferation of positive tests I wonder how many more players will exercise this right.

I also don't think it's a good idea for Dr. Anthony Fauci to throw out the first pitch in light of this news. The appearance of one of this country's top officials at an event where one player has tested positive for COVID-19 and could spread will give Fauci's growing list of enemies ammunition and help the Trump Administration undermine his credibility.

As for Soto, even if he remains asymptomatic it might be quite awhile before he plays. Atlanta Braves pitcher Will Smith remains asymptomatic three weeks after first testing positive, but has yet to record a negative test.

I will most likely tune in tonight, but I don't know how long I'll want to watch a train wreck.