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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla .– Boston Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts shortstop was pulled out of Tuesday night’s 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays after testing positive for COVID-19, the latest coronavirus setback for the team.
Bogaerts was on the pitch before the start of the end of the second set when manager Alex Cora signaled him to leave the game. The team announced their positive test soon after.
Jonathan Arauz, who started on second, took Bogaerts’ place at the shortstop, while Yairo Munoz took second.
Cora later said it would be “difficult” to do without Bogaerts during his absence under COVID-19 protocol.
“Obviously, Alex is the leader of the team,” Cora said. “He’s one of the best shortstops, if not the best shortstop in the league, and he will be missed.”
Bogaerts is the sixth Red Sox player to test positive for COVID-19 since Friday. The others are Hirokazu Sawamura, Martin Perez, Matt Barnes, Enrique Hernandez and Christian Arroyo.
The Boston relievers pen has been hit hard by the epidemic that began last week.
Sawamura, a right-handed relief pitcher, was put on the coronavirus-related injured list earlier on Tuesday, while left-handed reliever Josh Taylor was added to the list as an individual in close contact.
Perez and Barnes were added to COVID-19 IL ahead of Monday’s 6-1 loss to the Rays. It was subsequently announced that Taylor and first baseman Tom Goodwin were in quarantine as close contacts and that quality control coach Ramon Vazquez had tested positive.
Hernandez and Arroyo were placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Friday. They remain in Cleveland, where the Red Sox were playing when both tested positive.
Red Sox slugger Kyle Schwarber said beyond the contributions of his teammates on the pitch, he was concerned for their health.
““ It’s unfortunate, ”he said.“ I think your biggest concern is just the health of individuals. This is not a joke.”
Boston outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who was placed on the mourning list Thursday following the death of his father, cleared MLB protocols and has been reinstated on the active list. He started in right field and reached number one, scoring 2 for 5 with two doubles and a run scored.
“It hasn’t been easy, but I’m trying to focus on the positives,” Cora said.
Boston, 20-23 since the all-star break, has a one-game lead over the Oakland Athletics for the American League’s second wild card. The A’s won 9-3 over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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