Kevin Plawecki tests positive for COVID

Marathon Monday and the annual Patriots Day game day has not gotten off to the start the Red Sox were hoping for, with some bad news on their roster as their backup catcher is heading to the COVID list. After media members left the clubhouse on Monday morning, MLB personnel entered and we learned that there were some COVID issues for the team. Shortly after that, Kevin Plawecki left the park in street clothes, and it has since been confirmed that the catcher has indeed tested positive for COVID and will be placed on the inactive list. Connor Wong is currently en route from Worcester to join the big-league club. Two Red Sox staffers also tested positive.

Plawecki, who is vaccinated, was tested as part of contract tracing after the staffers’ test results came back. The staffers have not been identified at this time, though they are not part of the coaching staff. There is no set duration a player must remain on the COVID list, but Plawecki will need to test negative twice before returning to the club. He has played in four games for the Red Sox so far this season, going 1-10 with a walk and four strikeouts. Wong has been with Worcester this season and has started the year going 4-16 with four strikeouts and no walks. He got into six major-league seasons last year, his first reaching the level, going 4-13 with a double, a triple, a walk, and seven strikeouts.

We will continue to watch this situation in the coming days to see if more players are affected by the positive test as contract tracing presumably will continue.