The Boston Red Sox have been experience a run of COVID-19 cases, and it just hit a bit of a tipping point, with star shortstop Xander Bogaerts removed mid-game because he, too, has tested positive.
Xander Bogaerts was removed from the game due to a positive COVID-19 test.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) September 1, 2021
Red Sox received the positive result after first pitch and removed him as soon as they found out. https://t.co/qXuJyd2HOO
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) September 1, 2021
Adding Bogaerts, the Red Sox are up to seven players out because of positive COVID tests or close contacts. There are also two coaches out. This is a full-on outbreak.
With Bogaerts apparently positive while playing in a game, it’s hard to speculate how widespread the contacts and infections could be. This is a mess, and even on teams with good vaccination rates, the current variant of the dang virus is just so absurdly transmissible. The Cubs have their own outbreak right now to deal with down at the Double-A level.
Hopefully this is the end of the spread and the players and coaches recover well. In the meantime, it looks like the Red Sox are going to lose their third game in a row tonight, and have fallen from just a game back in the AL East earlier this month to 10.0 games back after tonight. Oof.