Kansas City Royals take precautions after two sick players scratched from lineup

Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny conducted his postgame media session in a mask and with social distancing measures in place for the first time this season following Tuesday’s loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Royals, who placed Gold Glove center fielder Michael A. Taylor on the injured list due to COVID contact tracing last week, have not had any other cases as of Tuesday night. Players and team personnel in Arizona were all wearing masks following the game as a precaution after two players were scratched from the starting lineup.

Third baseman Emmanuel Rivera was scratched because he felt ill prior to the game, and outfielder Kyle Isbel, who’d been starting in center field in place of Taylor, was a late scratch due to what the club called mild illness symptoms.

Dairon Blanco started in center field in place of Isbel.

As of Tuesday night there were no known cases of COVID and the Royals said they were taking precautions due to an apparent bug.

The Royals have Wednesday off in Minneapolis before they begin a four-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Thursday night.

The two-game set in Arizona was the first stop in a nine-game, three-city road trip that includes four games in Minneapolis followed by three games in Cleveland against the Guardians.