People see Cardinals and COVID and immediately jump to certain thoughts and comments, given their previous outbreak. But for what it’s worth, I think we should just remain empathetic about all things COVID this year. On the whole, players and teams are doing their best (and doing a good job!), but human interaction is going to happen.
The Cardinals have another player going on the COVID-19 Injured List, not necessarily because he’s tested positive, but instead because he had contact with someone who did:
Cardinals putting pitcher Johan Oviedo on the Covid IL after coming into contact on Tuesday with someone that tested positive….but he's had no contact with the team since then so Cards will keep playing.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) September 10, 2020
It’s good, then, that Oviedo did not have contact with the team after he had contact with the positive individual, so there’s no reason to treat the rest of the team any differently than you would have been already. Oviedo, so far, has tested negative for the virus, and if he continues to do so without symptoms, I’d assume he could be back by this weekend.
The 22-year-old pitcher was at AA for the Cardinals last year, and has been serviceable in something of an emergency starter capacity this year (four starts). He shows really impressive stuff at times, but hasn’t put it all together yet (which, I mean, can you blame a kid who is having to fill in straight from AA?).
The Cardinals, who have a doubleheader against the Tigers today, have to play 23 games over the next 18 days (and possibly another doubleheader the next day if necessary). It’s just going to be a brutal stretch for them, and losing another pitcher at this time – for however long – is no doubt a serious problem.