SF Giants-SD Padres Game Postponed after Positive COVID Test

The SF Giants game against the San Diego Padres was postponed right before first pitch as word of a positive COVID test was announced.

The positive test occurred within the SF Giants organization:

There is a lot to unwind with this statement. The statement originally said a person within the Giants organization tested positive, so that suggested a wide base including personnel. However, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle confirmed that it was a player who tested positive.

Tomorrow’s game against the Padres has been postponed as well, but Schulman suggested that San Francisco will not play for a minimum of four days. The remaining three games of this Padres series will need to be played at a later date likely by way of multiple double-headers. Plus, the Giants have a day off on Monday.

Realistically, the next game the Giants play could be on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.

The next step is to isolate the infected individual as well as understand the cause of how the virus made its way into the organization. Hopefully, this is an isolated incident.

That said, we have seen with the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals how COVID can rapidly spread throughout a clubhouse and create a lengthy absence in gameplay. Though, these were the most extreme circumstances.

Since these outbreaks, MLB deserves some credit for limiting further spread of the virus as most of the recent news has been encouraging:

The SF Giants are in the thick of the playoff hunt with a 23-22 overall record and currently sit in seventh place in the National League playoff bracket. Regardless, the standings are rather insignificant compared to the health and safety of the organization as a whole.

For the time being, they will have to watch how the playoff picture plays out from the sidelines. The SF Giants, likely many other teams, have been dealt an unexpected curveball in the 2020 season.

The next 48 hours will be a key moment for the Giants as an organization. If the spread is contained, we could see them play again soon enough, If not, it becomes a more difficult conversation.