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Padres Outfielder Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Grounds crew working at Petco Park. July 3, 2020.
Bennett Lacy
Grounds crew working at Petco Park. July 3, 2020.

San Diego Padres outfielder Tommy Pham has tested positive for the coronavirus, general manager A.J. Preller announced Friday.

"Tommy Pham has tested positive for the coronavirus,'' Preller told reporters on a Zoom call before the start of the team's first official Summer Camp workout at Petco Park.

"He began the self-isolation process immediately. He is asymptomatic. I've been in contact with him every single day. He feels fine/asymptomatic. As a staff, we will be following all the contact tracing protocols and all the MLB protocols in terms of what you do when you have a player that has a positive corona test.''

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There were 38 positive tests — 31 among players and seven among staff members — in the first set of results conducted in the mandatory intake screening process under MLB's COVID-19 Health Monitoring & Testing Plan, the league and Major League Baseball Players Association jointly announced Friday.

The positive tests represented 1.2% of the 3,185 total samples collected and tested. Nineteen of the 30 MLB teams have had one or more individuals test positive during intake testing.

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Under MLB's COVID-19 Health Monitoring & Testing Plan, a covered individual who tests positive for the coronavirus will not be allowed to travel (except as authorized by club medical staff and the Joint Committee), access any team facility, or have direct contact with any other covered individual or other club staff (other than medical staff) unless and until each of the following occurs:

— The individual tests negative on two separate confirmatory tests performed by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory taken at least 24 hours apart;

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— The individual has been not feverish for at least 72 hours without the use of any fever suppressant, and any respiratory symptoms have improved, as confirmed and documented by his or her treating physician or club medical staff;

— The individual completes at least one antibody test following the positive diagnosis;

— At the discretion of the team physician, a cardiac evaluation is conducted in accordance with published standards;

— The individual's team physician, any treating physician caring for the covered individual, and the Joint Committee all conclude that the individual no longer presents a risk of infection to others and is healthy enough to return to his or her usual professional responsibilities, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

— Any local regulations or requirements are satisfied.

"MLB has guidelines in there as well, some different check-box systems as well, that we are in the process of going through, and when Tommy clears those and checks those boxes, we will talk about Tommy returning to play for the Padres,'' Preller said.

The 32-year-old Pham was acquired in a Dec. 7 trade with the Tampa Bay Rays with infielder/right-handed pitcher Jake Cronenworth in exchange for outfielder Hunter Renfroe, infielder Xavier Edwards and a player to be named.