Twins

By Judd Zulgad |

Derek Falvey says "a few" players in Twins' organization have tested positive for COVID-19

Twins Baseball
Derek Falvey, Minnesota Twins Executive Vice President and Chief Baseball Officer, chats on the field as pitchers and catchers report for their first workout at their spring training baseball facility in Ft. Myers, Fla., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The Twins have joined the growing list of teams that have had players test positive for COVID-19. Derek Falvey, the Twins’ president of baseball operations, told reporters on a call Thursday that “a few” of the team’s players and minor leaguers had tested positive for the virus.

This comes as the Twins prepare to report for the start of training camp next Wednesday at Target Field. The Twins will begin their 60-game regular season on July 23 or 24.

Falvey did not identify which players or how many tested positive, but none were in Minneapolis or Fort Myers, Fla., where the Twins have their spring training complex. At least one of the positive tests came from someone on the 60-man roster of players who will be brought to Target Field.

That player, along with the others, are under quarantine and will not be back in uniform until they have two negative tests and pass other health protocols put in by MLB. More than one player was asymptomatic, according to Falvey.

MLB called for spring training facilities in Florida and Arizona to be closed last week so they could be cleaned after a few teams had players test positive. On Tuesday, it was reported that Colorado Rockies All-Star outfielder Charlie Blackmon had become the first known MLB player to have tested positive. The Denver Post reported that three Rockies players had tested positive. The Phillies, meanwhile, have had seven players and five staff members test positive for COVID-19.

SANO CLEARED

Twins first baseman Miguel Sano was cleared of accusations made against him at a hearing Thursday morning in the Dominican Republic, Falvey told reporters. Sano had been accused in the kidnapping and assault of a man in May.

Sano told a newspaper in the Dominican Republic, as well as the Twins, that he was being blackmailed in an attempt to get about $170,000.

Sano is expected to report for the start of training camp at Target Field. The 27-year-old is making the move to first base this season to make room for free agent slugger Josh Donaldson at third. Sano, who signed a three-year, $30 million contract in the offseason, hit .247/.346/.576 with a career-high 34 home runs and 79 RBIs in 105 games last season.