Remember last year when Cleveland Indians pitchers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac flouted the COVID-19 health and safety protocols by going out when they were in Chicago? It was a whole big thing, and even led to them getting sent out to the team’s alternate site. If there is any organization in baseball where you wouldn’t NOW expect players to break the rules, it might be Cleveland.
Except, welp:
Jose Ramirez also found to have violated coronavirus health and safety protocol — he was with Franmil Reyes — and so Ramirez and Reyes will be kept away from the others in the Indians' sphere for a few days.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 7, 2021
Terry Francona confirms that Franmil Reyes and José Ramírez are away from the team for breaking COVID-19 protocols. On Friday, Reyes got a haircut and the two went to dinner and ate inside a restaurant. Tito hopes to know when they can return later today.
— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) March 7, 2021
Are these the most egregious violations of the rules? No. Can we understand how these mistakes get made on a human level 12 months into this dang pandemic? Yes. But the rules exist to protect players and personnel (some of whom are holder and/or higher risk), and it’s not like any of it is a secret coming into this season. How exactly do you do this unless you thought you were sneaking and trying to get away with something? It’s just disappointing to see.
This is the kind of stuff that – again, while understandable at a human level – creates unnecessary risks of health issues and game cancellations, especially when we’re so close to the vaccine being available across the sport.
UPDATE: Very disappointed to note that Pedro Strop was out with them as well.