Multiple Blue Jays players, staff members test positive for COVID-19

Sportsnet Baseball Columnist Shi Davidi joined Tim and Sid after breaking the news of multiple Blue Jays players and staff testing positive for COVID-19.

Multiple Toronto Blue Jays players and staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi has learned.

Toronto shut down its spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., on Friday after a player exhibited symptoms of the coronavirus. MLB decided to close training facilities in Florida and Arizona after personnel from a number of teams tested positive or displayed symptoms.

The news comes on the heels of the league announcing a 60-game 2020 season scheduled to begin July 23 or 24. Players are to start reporting to camps on July 1 and are being given staggered reporting times over several days for intake screening.

Because of an uptick in COVID-19 cases in Florida and Arizona, 29 teams currently are leaning toward training in their regular-season ballparks. The Blue Jays’ hope remains to play in Toronto and president and CEO Mark Shapiro was added to the national lobbyists’ registry last week to pursue frequent contact with government officials to that end.

With files from The Associated Press and Shi Davidi

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