A Combined Eight Phillies Players and Staff Are Under COVID Protocols
Just Saturday, Phillies manager Joe Girardi said that he expected starter Matt Moore would make his next start. However, it appears that will not be the case. Moore and three others were placed on the injured list. So what's up?
COVID very well could be the cause of the moves.
Notably, there was no cause for the injured list moves. Often that has meant that the players are entering into COVID protocols. That could mean there's a chance they were exposed to COVID-19; they do not necessarily have to have an active infection.
Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that the three players were out according to COVID protocols. Teams are not allowed to discuss the specifics of the situations of players. Coaches they may be much more transparent.
The coaching staff was already without Dusty Wathan, Joe Dillon and David Lundquist due to the protocols. Bobby Meacham and Paco Figueroa now join them.
The Phillies will add Triple-A manager Gary Jones to the coaching staff to coach third base. Jones fills that role for the IronPigs, and previously coached third base for the 2016 World Champion Chicago Cubs.
The call-ups are the first in the careers of Damon Jones, Nick Maton, and Cristopher Sanchez. All three are on the Phillies 40-man roster.
The Phillies players, if out on the COVID list, could return sooner than a 10-day injured list stint if deemed safe to return. Girardi indicated that Vince Velasquez would start on Moore's next rotation day if he was unable to pitch. That in itself seems to acknowledge that is the reason for Moore's absence and not an injury as some speculated after Moore's abrupt departure on Saturday.