COVID outbreak sidelines four San Francisco Giants players
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/AP) -- An outbreak of breakthrough COVID infections has swept through the San Francisco Giants lockrroom, sidelining five players including slugger Brandon Belt and outfielder Mike Yastrzemski.
The club said all five of the players had been vaccinated and boosted.
Belt, Yastrzemski and relievers Dominic Leone and Zack Littell were placed on the league's COVID-19 injured list before Friday night's 14-4 battering at the hands of Washington Nationals.
Outfielder Steven Duggar, who is currently on the 60-day injured list, also has tested positive.
"We recognize that we're going to be compromised from a roster perspective but that we've been compromised before," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. "Come back tomorrow, do a really good job with our preparation and our practice and our process getting ready for the game."
To fill in their depleted roster, the team called up infielder Jason Krizan, reliever Mauricio Llovera and outfielder Ka'ai Tom from Triple-A Sacramento.
Also due to the outbreak, the team has decided to close its clubhouse to media and non-essential personnel through the weekend.
"We have concerns about the levels of contagiousness in the clubhouse," president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said. "We obviously really value our media and want their access to be a priority and we just feel like that environment is unsafe right now."
Zaidi said the club consulted with Major League Baseball in making the decision.
"They have concerns about anything that can be perceived as restricting access," he said. "They were sympathetic to the fact we're working under very specific circumstances now where we think there really is heightened risk of spread."