Cubs scratch RHP Darvish, 2B Kipnis with illness

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — The Chicago Cubs scratched right-hander Yu Darvish and second baseman Jason Kipnis on Thursday because of illness.

In a series of tweets in Japanese, Darvish said he had a cough Wednesday and expressed reluctance about entering the clubhouse amid the coronavirus outbreak, but he then posted that he didn’t have a fever or the flu.

Theo Epstein, the president of baseball operations for the Cubs, said he didn’t have “full information right now,” but it was his understanding it was a daily illness and Darvish should be fine by Friday.

Kipnis was seen in the clubhouse before Chicago’s spring training game against Texas.