5 more MLB players positive for COVID, raising total to 80

NEW YORK (AP) — Five more baseball players tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week, raising the total to 80 since testing started in late June.

Major League Baseball and the players’ association said six of 10,548 samples were new positives in the week ending Thursday, a rate of 0.05%. In addition to players, one staff member tested positive.

The sides do not announce names of those who test positive, but some players have allowed teams to identify themselves. Tampa Bay All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows was placed on the injured list Thursday night after testing positive for the coronavirus

The week included a five-day span with no new positive tests, MLB and the union said Friday.

For the past two weeks of monitoring testing, 23 of 17,949 samples have been new positives, a rate of 0.1% The new positives included 18 players and five staff members, all among 13 teams.

Including the initial intake screening that started in late June, 93 of of 21,701 samples have resulted in new positives, a rate of 0.4%. The positives included 80 players and 13 staff members, including four players who were additions to 60-man club player pools.

Twenty-eight teams have had a positive test result, including players and staff.