Red Sox outfielder Hunter Renfroe claims MLB instructed team to stop COVID-19 testing amid nine-player outbreak in Boston
Boston Red Sox right fielder Hunter Renfroe says Major League Baseball instructed the club to stop testing amid a nine-player COVID-19 outbreak, but both the commissioner's officer and the club are denying that claim.
'We've been going through a lot of things with COVID,' Renfroe told the 'Merloni & Fauria' WEEI radio program, 'and MLB has basically told us to stop testing and just treat the symptoms. We're like, ''No. We're gonna figure out what's going on and try to keep this thing under control.'''
In follow-up questions, Renfroe reiterated to the hosts that MLB asked Boston to stop testing and that the club complied.
'And just so to try to play, move on and don't worry about it?' asked Merloni, a former Red Sox infielder from the Boston area.
Renfroe replied: 'Yeah.'
Boston Red Sox right fielder Hunter Renfroe (pictured) says Major League Baseball instructed the club to stop testing amid a nine-player COVID-19 outbreak, but both the commissioner's officer and the club are denying that claim
Eleven Red Sox players have spent time on the COVID-19 list since the outbreak began, with nine of them returning positive tests, according to multiple reports. Three coaches have also been affected by the outbreak. MLB told teams before the season that fully vaccinated players, coaches and other Tier 1 staff can enjoy loosened COVID-19 protocols, with more restrictions lifted once a team reaches 85 percent vaccination. The Red Sox are reportedly under the 85 percent vaccination threshold. However, some of the players who did test positive are believed to have been vaccinated, according to ESPN. Renfroe also suggested that MLB's relaxed guidelines for vaccinated players may have contributed to the outbreak. As he explained, the club's COVID-19 spike can be traced to Red Sox utility man Kiké Hernandez (left), a vaccinated player who boarded the team plane without knowing that he was infected. 'He was vaccinated, and the guys that are vaccinated don't really get tested,' Renfroe said. 'He came on the plane, got some other guys sick and kind of moved forward from there.' (Right) Red Sox manager Alex Cora is seen wearing a mask amid the team's recent coronavirus surge
Later in the day, MLB and the Red Sox issued separate statements saying that wasn't true.
'We have been following MLB's COVID-19 protocols all season long,' the Red Sox's statement said. 'We have consulted closely with them on everything we've done and continue to test and their medical staff has been very supportive.'
'He is completely wrong and inaccurate,' a league spokesperson told the Boston Globe.
Eleven Red Sox players have spent time on the COVID-19 list since the outbreak began, with nine of them returning positive tests, according to multiple reports. Three coaches have also been affected by the outbreak.
MLB told teams before the season that fully vaccinated players, coaches and other Tier 1 staff can enjoy loosened COVID-19 protocols, with more restrictions lifted once a team reaches 85 percent vaccination.
A spokesperson for commissioner Rob Manfred (pictured) said the claim was 'inaccurate'
The Red Sox are reportedly under the 85 percent vaccination threshold. However, some of the players who did test positive are believed to have been vaccinated, according to ESPN.
Renfroe also suggested that MLB's relaxed guidelines for vaccinated players may have contributed to the outbreak.
As he explained, the club's COVID-19 spike can be traced to Red Sox utility man Kiké Hernandez, a vaccinated player who boarded the team plane without knowing that he was infected.
'He was vaccinated, and the guys that are vaccinated don't really get tested,' Renfroe said. 'He came on the plane, got some other guys sick and kind of moved forward from there.
'Obviously it's not Kiké's fault, he can't do anything about it, but they are moving forward and doing well right now,' he added.
Boston had lost three straight games amid the outbreak before Renfroe hit a go-ahead, two-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning to help the Red Sox earn a 2-1 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.
Renfroe sealed the win by throwing Tampa Bay’s Joey Wendle out at third to end the ninth.
A general view of the Moderna logo sign on the Green Monster before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on April 5, 2021 in Boston
