Report: Cardinals Not Expecting Good Results for Pending COVID-19 Tests
The St. Louis Cardinals are bracing for their pending COVID-19 results to reveal multiple new positive tests, according to MLB insider Robert Murray and confirmed by ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The Cardinals were administered MLB PCR saliva tests on Saturday after one player and three staffers received inconclusive rapid tests. The tests, which will reportedly be confirmed with results of a new round on Monday, are expected to be "not good," per Passan. The team announced it will remain in Milwaukee, Wis. as planned while awaiting the additional testing results.
As of Saturday evening, three St. Louis players and one staff member are confirmed positive tests. All individuals among the Cardinals' traveling party that have tested positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic, an official confirmed to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.
The Cardinals had their weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers postponed after the rapid tests came back inconclusive. Friday's contest was postponed after St. Louis learned late Thursday night that two of its players had tested positive. Those players, who have not been identified, drove back to their St. Louis homes to isolate.
According to Passan, the team's next steps will be determined by the number of confirmed and new positive cases. St. Louis is next scheduled to visit the Detroit Tigers for a series starting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, though that could change depending on the test results.
The Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies both had their weekend series postponed due to COVID-19. The Marlins have not played since July 26 as 18 players and two coaches tested positive for the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the Phillies, who last faced the Marlins, have since had zero players and three staff members test positive for COVID-19, though two are believed to be false positives.