Cubs’ third baseman Kris Bryant showed gratitude to Reds infielder Mike Moustakas for self-reporting his COVID-19 symptoms and felt it would empower players around MLB to do the same. Just a few days later, it was Bryant who made the same decision.
Bryant was scratched from the Cubs’ lineup minutes before Saturday’s game due to gastrointestinal issues – which fall under the list of COVID-19 symptoms.
Manager David Ross said his All-Star third baseman was not available on Sunday as he’s now in MLB’s COVID-19 protocol.
“It’s strange because we’ve never been in this situation before as baseball players,” Bryant said Wednesday about self-reporting. “You say you have the sniffles and it’s like you’re judged or looked down upon and stuff like that.
“I told Moustakas out there, I know he was caught up in the protocol, and I thanked him, because that’s how we’re going to finish the season … You have to check that box in the survey that we fill out every morning and go from there. But I respect everybody who says they have something.”
Bryant’s regularly scheduled tests from Friday came back negative, as did his rapid test on Saturday. The former NL MVP had another regularly scheduled test Sunday and will get one more rapid test on Monday. The earliest Bryant would be able to turn would likely be Tuesday’s game vs. the Royals.
Self-reporting symptoms remain one of the biggest keys to MLB’s efforts to keep players and preventing possible outbreaks. Even if those symptoms end up being unrelated, being overly cautious is a small price to pay to avoid a potential spread of the virus throughout the clubhouse and the rest of the league.
“He really needs to be commended for going in and getting checked out with all we’ve got going on,” Ross said. We’re trying to take the right precautions just to keep everybody safe, but Kris feels much better today.
“That’s where our training staff did a really good job. It’s a unique year and a unique line that they have to walk and just having some stomach symptoms with all this going on, we just gotta be safe. Kris did the right thing and went in and wasn’t feeling great and they checked him.”
Justin Steele called up, Norwood to IL
The Cubs recalled left-hander Justin Steele from alternate site South Bend prior to Sunday’s game against the Pirates. Steele provides reinforcements to the Cubs bullpen that could use an additional boost after a rough start to the season.
“He made an impression on me in Spring Training just with the swings that the hitters took off of him,” Ross said. When he’s in the zone, he’s pretty good. The ball seems to jump out of his hand. Hitters don’t seem to pick it up too much. He’s been working on some slider mechanics or tinkering with a slider in South Bend and that seems to have been playing well. I read those reports about South Bend when they send them in each night and his name kept popping up of a guy that’s trending in the right direction.”
Right-hander James Norwood was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation in a corresponding move to make room for Steele. Norwood has no record over three appearances, but has a 16.20 ERA in 1 2/3 innings.
