The Orioles placed left-handed pitcher Keegan Akin and outfielder Anthony Santander on the Covid-19 injured list on Wednesday morning, about two hours before their game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Akin, who was scheduled to start, will be replaced by left-hander, Alexander Wells, who was on the taxi squad. Wells will be the 13th starting pitcher used by the Orioles this season.
Santander, who missed the early part of summer camp in July 2020 after testing positive for Covid-19, is being replaced on the roster by Ryan McKenna, was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday to make room for pitcher John Means.
Hyde said the Orioles were following the Covid protocols but could provide no further details. He said the team found out about the situation late Tuesday night and didn’t know how long Akin and Santander would be on the Covid-19 list. Unlike the 10-day injured list, there is no minimum stay on the Covid-19 list.
The New York Yankees were the most recent team to have Covid-19 issues, forcing a postponement of last Thursday’s game against the Red Sox.
“We’ve seen it a few times with the league,” Hyde said. “This is the first time it’s happened with us. It’s unfortunate, but other teams have had the same sort of issue recently.”
The Orioles reached the 85 percent vaccination rate on May 12th, allowing them to relax protocols.
“Nothing changes as of now,” Hyde said. “There’s going to be more information. This is pretty last-minute news. There’s going to be more information as we go along. Right now, we’re putting two guys on the injured list because of Covid protocols, and we’ll go from there.”
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So are they close contacts, exhibition symptoms that mirror COVID, or have they tested positive?
We don’t know.
Santlander already had COVID . Protected for three months. Isn’t the whole team vaccinated. Is Diaz injured again. Yes he’s hitting nothing at Norfolk but he’s not even playing anymore. McKenna has shown he can’t hit ML pitching maybe bringing Diaz up would wake him out of his funk. We know he can field and has a cannon arm so what’s to lose
More than 85 percent of the team is vaccinated, Bruce. We don't know the exact number.
The Orioles would love to give Diaz a shot, but he hasn't been healthy. Yes, Diaz is hurt, and hasn't played since July 11. He's 0-for-27, and hasn't had a hit since July 1. If he'll get healthy, he'll get his shot. McKenna provides defense and speed, something that's great in an extra player.
Wells is quire an improvement over the Keegster!
I sure hope McKenna is saving his skymiles.
He didn't leave the club.
Hopefully, Akin and Santander are not on the Covid list because they made a boneheaded (and selfish) decision to not get vaccinated.
Well I'm hoping that's exactly the reason, otherwise I have to question my own decision to get vaccinated in the 1st place! If the vaccination isn't effective, there are a lot more serious issues we'll be facing than who's playing right field for the Orioles.
Boog ... glad to hear you made the rational decision about vaccination ... we know there have been "breakthrough" infections among some vaccinated persons (for example, some of the Yankees), but that certainly doesn't mean the vaccines are "ineffective" ... vaccinated folks who are getting infected, almost always, have mild symptoms and are staying out of the hospital ... its the unvaccinated who are ending up in the ICU on ventilators, or worse.
Over 98 per cent of the people who are winding up in the hospital are unvaccinated. You can still get COVID if your vaccinated because it’s about 95 per cent effective and unless you have serious immune problems your illness will be mild. I cannot understand why the whole team is not vaccinated Rich
Bruce, I cannot understand why the whole country isn’t vaccinated.
Rich maybe some people have an issue about putting an untested non FDA approved vaccine into their bodies. What happened to My Body My Choice. Maybe pregnant and breast feeding mothers may have some paise as well. I’m sure if you’re daughter were pregnant today you wouldn’t want her putting this Fauci Ouchie into her arm.
Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, but not his own facts. Johns Hopkins Medicine has stated the scientific FACTS:
"All three vaccines authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been thoroughly tested and found to be safe and effective in preventing severe COVID-19. They continue to undergo continuous and intense safety monitoring"
Everyone has been very respectful here, I’d let it go as I just got reprimanded for 5 lil words, 2 of them go O’s, comment deleted & cannot figure what was REMOTELY wrong with it, I believe freedom of speech is guaranteed under the constitution...oh well...Boog I did include a smiley face, obviously wasn’t sarcasm...go O’s...
I agree that its best to avoid politics on this site, but this particular story is about Covid, a subject which unfortunately has been politicized by some.