Red Sox Closer Matt Barnes On COVID-19 IL; Has Not Tested Positive

The Boston Red Sox will be without Matt Barnes as they begin a three-game set in Detroit against the Tigers.

The All-Star closer on Tuesday was placed on the COVID-19-related injury list.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed the news to reporters ahead of the series opener, sharing that Barnes hadn’t tested positive, but was simply feeling under the weather. The team was tested as a group, but they’re still waiting on the right-hander’s results.

Cora also said one other player isn’t feeling well, but tested negative. The team has yet to pass the 85 percent vaccination threshold.

“We haven’t made a lot of progress in that aspect,” Cora admitted.

Barnes isn’t anticipated to be out of action long should he return a negative result either Tuesday or Wednesday. For now, he’s quarantined in the team hotel as a precaution.