CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs manager David Ross and Jed Hoyer, president of baseball operations, have tested positive for COVID-19.
The team announced the news Friday morning before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.
Ross and Hoyer are feeling good and quarantining, according to the team. Both are fully vaccinated.
Ross and Hoyer likely will quarantine for at least 10 days — Major League Baseball’s typical procedure following positive tests. There occasionally are exceptions when someone is deemed non-infectious by the league’s medical experts and cleared to return.
All of Ross’ close contacts were tested Friday morning with no positive tests within the Cubs clubhouse, according to bench coach and interim manager Andy Green when he spoke approximately 90 minutes before first pitch. The expectation was there wouldn’t be any changes to the Cubs' active roster for Friday’s game.
For anyone designated as a close contact of someone who tests positive, the contact’s vaccination status affects their ensuing protocols. If vaccinated, a close contact would not have to quarantine while an unvaccinated close contact would need to quarantine for seven days.
Managing isn’t an unfamiliar role for the 44-year-old Green, who managed the San Diego Padres for four seasons (2016-19). He expects to talk to Ross constantly and implement any directions from the second-year manager while he is quarantined. Green wants to maintain what he described as a positive, fun atmosphere under Ross, saying, “He’s done a tremendous job with that.”
“It stinks. First off, I love hanging out with Rossy every day, he’s a lot of fun,” Green said. “He makes the clubhouse a lively place. You hear him before you see him and not everybody in the world’s like that. So it’s going to suck not being around him for the next 10 days. We hope all of us stay healthy and continue to test negative so we don’t have any further spread.”
Green said they will take further measures to try to mitigate a potential COVID-19 spread. Aside from testing Ross’ close contacts, the Cubs will look to minimize their time together in the clubhouse over the coming week and make mask wearing a priority.
“The best message to send right now is Rossy doesn’t feel anything at all,” Green said. “He’s completely fine. He’s totally normal. That tends to be the case with those of us who are vaccinated and have made that choice that when we contract it, that part’s unfortunate, but the fortunate part is, he feels great. He’s only frustrated he can’t be in the dugout every day and can’t manage the team.”
The Cubs are one of the few MLB teams that has not reached the 85% vaccinated threshold but had largely avoided any coronavirus-related issues this season.
“I think that’s a message for everybody in the clubhouse and just throughout that continues to choose not to get vaccinated that these two guys in this instance, they feel great, and hopefully, it continues that way,” Green said. “Everything we see from a research perspective shows that those of us who choose to get vaccinated have a much greater likelihood we’re asymptomatic or don’t experience any kind of major symptoms if we do have symptoms.
“So I think that’s the message for the unvaccinated guys in the clubhouse who’ve continued to make that choice and for the unvaccinated people throughout our country who’ve continued to make that choice.”
In early April, first base coach Craig Driver and bullpen coach Chris Young, who are vaccinated, tested positive.
The Cubs’ Double-A affiliate has been dealing with an outbreak that caused five games to be canceled before returning to play Thursday.
