Before the Major League Baseball All-Star Break, Boston Red Sox outfielder Kiké Hernández said he was disappointed in MLB’s decision to schedule his team to return to play a day before the rest of the league.
The Red Sox — and their five All-Stars — were slated to play Thursday on the road against the New York Yankees. It was the only game scheduled, with other teams returning to action Friday. But when it was discovered the Yankees had several positive tests for COVID-19, the game was postponed.
For better or for worse, Hernández’s wish was granted.
“Things happen for a reason,” he told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe following the postponement of Thursday’s game. “It’s hard to make fun of the situation considering it’s the other team’s health and it’s not the weather or anything like that, but everything happens for a reason. Everybody else got an extra day. We got our extra day one way or the other.”
The COVID situation within the Yankees organization could have major implications beyond the series with the Red Sox, which is slated to continue Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Rafael Devers told ESPN’s Marly Rivera that he was asked to refrain from pregame interviews because he may have been exposed to the virus, as one of the Yankees’ positives came from someone who played in the All-Star Game. The other four Red Sox All-Stars — Xander Bogaerts, Nathan Eovaldi, Matt Barnes and J.D. Martinez — also underwent additional testing as a result.
Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reported Aaron Judge is the Yankees All-Star who tested positive.
While the Red Sox now are awaiting test results of their own, this could impact the entire American League, so it’s possible there could be even more rest in the cards for the Red Sox after all.
