MAY 22: Dugger and Misiewicz were each reinstated from the IL before this evening’s game against the Padres, per a team announcement. Fletcher and Mills were optioned back to Tacoma.
MAY 21, 6:17pm: The Mariners announced a series of roster moves related to the positive test. Right-handers Robert Dugger, Drew Steckenrider and Will Vest were all placed on the IL, as was lefty Anthony Misiewicz. The Mariners did not indicate that a player tested positive but rather that the moves were made “out of an abundance of caution” due to a “potential” positive. Further testing and contact tracing is being conducted.
In a slate of corresponding moves, the Mariners reinstated right-hander Keynan Middleton from the injured list, selected the contract of journeyman infielder Eric Campbell and recalled three relievers from Triple-A Tacoma: lefty Aaron Fletcher and righties Wyatt Mills and Yohan Ramirez.
MAY 21, 2:08pm: The Mariners are dealing with a COVID-19 situation, as reported by both The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan. At least one player has tested positive for the virus, Passan reports, “and there is concern within the organization that the relatively low level of vaccination within the clubhouse could be problematic.” Not only are the Mariners under the league-mandated 85% vaccination threshold for the lessening of COVID protocols, but the M’s “are among the least-vaccinated teams in” the entire league.
The Mariners are in San Diego tonight to begin a three-game series with the Padres. Any of those games or perhaps even the three-game set with the Athletics from May 24-26 could perhaps face postponement in the event of a widespread outbreak amongst the team, though there isn’t yet any word that the M’s have anything beyond just the one positive test.
The Mariners can’t do anything right
Most People (including a good majority of Seattle fans) cannot look at this current group of young and inexperienced players without lumping them in with all bad Mariners teams of pre-2019. When these rookies encounter the slightest bit of adversity or bad fortune suddenly people will say things like it’s – “same old Mariners- a poorly run Org that’s only good at one thing- losing.” Forgetting the rebuild.
Most Seattle fans know their rebuilding club of very young players are just over 1.5 seasons into a rebuild- 162g in 2019, 60g in 2020 plus the 45g this yr. Not even 2 seasons. Most baseball fans should know rebuilds take at least 3-4 yrs, most of the successful rebuilds take 5 years. So why do people automatically think this current squad of Mariners players should be playing much better than their 21-24 record?
Only reason I could think of is the Mariners general manager saying he expects this team to compete for a playoff spot
Leading the league in no-hits against and least amount of vaccinations hyfr very impressed. Go Ms
Leading the league in no hits except we have 2 just like the Ranger and Indians
Not sure saying “technically we’re tied” is the vindication you’re looking for…
As a Mariner fan, I’d say we deserve the lead because Plesac came very close. Let’s don’t count innings. Lol
For Mariners fans looking for a positive development with the team, there ya go.
Good one! lol
Moneyball obviously works. That debate is over. A’s are regularly in the playoffs with a tiny budget. But what does that have to do with this post?! I’m shocked that Seattle is so under-vaccinated. Getting vaccinated is such an easy thing to do in the U.S., so no excuses. We Canadians were jealous of how fast you ramped up your vaccination program this year!
It’s obviously not access. Professional athletes tend to be very conservative, think as athletes they are invincible even though the point of a vaccine is protecting others too and are hiding behind an excuse of not wanting anything in my body blah blah blah. Of course, players smoke, drink and take non FDA supplements if not worse. It’s just they don’t care.. Of course, around the league, half the teams are at 85%+ and most of the rest are probably at worst 60-70% so it’s not all.
Especially when Seattle had one of the first outbreaks last year of the virus. You would have thought they would be at 100%.
@mils, wow how many overgeneralizations can you cram into one post?
Ever been in a professional sports clubhouse? Yes, the average mlb athlete, especially those born in the US (Latin players are mostly apolitical), are most definitely right of center and often-times very far to the right. To pretend otherwise is silly or shows a lack of knowledge. This isn’t the nba.
And, do professional ballplayers use supplements that are shockingly not FDA approved. Um, yes. Or are they suddenly all now clean.
@mils, fine I’ll bite. How many “professional clubhouses” have you been in? I’ve been in none, but I can tell you from my experience athletic people I have been in around my life have only slightly been right of center and one of the most famous athletes (was once on the cover of SI) I have been around was very liberal. The college baseball players I played with were no more conservative than the gen pop and the only ‘drug’ they took was copious amounts of alcohol and maybe some weed. My experience does not support this particular overgeneralization of yours. Please enlighten us on all the MAGA baseball players you know personally.
Fun fact, your vaccine isn’t FDA approved either
The blind assumptions in your post are astounding.
Other than sore arm for48 hours, slight fever, stuffy nose and tiredness. Pfizer dose 2 felt like a mini flu
Honestly, the only real way to move the vaccinations along at the MLB level is through some larger event. If one teams gets 6-8 guys out and is on the national level as an embarrassment like the Marlins/Cards were, maybe it’ll speed this along somewhat. Of course, I’d be all for cutting players. As a fan of a team that can’t get to 85% and probably won’t, I’d be all for releasing players even if it hurts the team on the field.
Except you can’t force players to get vaccinated anymore than you can force anyone else. It is within each players rights to refuse the vaccination over physical concerns or religious beliefs or what have you.
A team can tell a player to get shots or they won’t play, its the players right to say no, but there are consequences, as with anything.
If you want to make that a contractual clause for future contracts that is one thing, since no such provision currently exists you open yourself up for all sorts of grievances and lawsuits. Constitutionally you cannot make vaccines mandatory and MLB still has to adhere to the law, unless contractually negotiated by both sides
@tony, great idea, I think I’ll tell my female employees to take the pill while they work for me. They have the right to say no, but there are consequences, as with anything. Right?
Forced vaccinations is so un American, so anti-human, I’m shocked anyone would support this, especially a baseball fan. This country has changed so much, so quickly, sad.
You are certainly right that this country has changed, and in just 4 years…
You mean 4 months.
If one was truly against this vaccination, the threat of not playing (but still getting paid) isn’t much of a deterrent.
Constitutionally there is precedence for forced vaccination already.
Jacobson v Massachusetts
Pretty sure schools have been forcing vaccinations on kids for decades.
You most certainly can. In fact, the EEOC has already come out saying a private employer can mandate COVID vaccinations. How that works with the CBA, I don’t know as MLB is a different beast than working for a corporation. But yes, your employer can most certainly mandate it..
The irony of playing in Seattle and being one of the least vaccinated teams.
Easy explanation. Players are getting vaccinated in order of team batting average.
Love the negative energy pal
It’s all in fun. I think the M’s have a good future.
So there is a correlation between batters having contact problems and teams having contact tracing problems. Makes sense.
Hahaha! You are on fire!!
Define problematic? Rostering a team, or some sniffles?
You gotta hate these guys
I’m going to the game tonight so hopefully they don’t get more and can still field a team!
I can’t believe that there are that many idiots in uniform, disappointing! As a long suffering fan, I can’t support a team that refuses to do the right thing. I won’t watch, or listen to another game, won’t buy any more M’s merchandise, or even check their score until they meet the 85%. No excuse for this from community role models. This is as embarrassing as when that former exec said all of those stupid things recently.
Didn’t people under the age of 50 just become eligible for the vaccine last month? I just got my 2nd shot last Friday and as a 41 year old it was the first day I was even eligible to get it.. Does every Major and Minor leaguer have a special exception to get it early?
In Washington, shots have been open to people in their 20’s and 30’s for awhile.
False. I got my shot the first day they fully opened it, second shot the first day it was available. My vaccine fully kicked in literally yesterday. As MLB teams stated they wouldn’t skip the line, even if they got it day one of it being available, when this occurred many wouldn’t be considered fully vaccinated… I am from Washington.
In nearly every location in the country all adults 18+ were eligible the first or second week of April. Yes, that was last month, but that’s more than enough time considering the teams have been providing shots on-site for anyone that wants it.
Shot #2 comes 4 weeks after shot #1. So basically the first available 2nd does was last week.
A real fan would big make an emotional post on a website for effect denouncing their supposed fandom.
*not make
You are kind of an embarrassment for being so naive
Passan clarified his story to say that a member of the Mariners traveling party has tested positive, not a player:
espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31484795/seattle-mariners-…
So you should update the article to reflect that.
That link is to an AP article posted on ESPN and it states that someone within the team tested positive; says nothing about it not being a player.
The M’s AVP (Anti Vax Percentage) is higher than the team’s OBP.
As a long suffering M’s fan, with the team as lowest in vax rate, its as if they want to be the lowest of the low. And team ownership down to coaches are just as complicit. What a mess. Millionaires who think they are above it all are disgusting!
I’m done listening to games and while I’m completely vaccinated, I won’t spend my money going to a game at T-Mobile Park. Go M’s, go do something right!
Not a lot of millionaires on the M’s. Minor leaguers make next to nothing and minor leaguers that get called up make a pro rated percentage of league minimum.
Opening day roster payroll $73m + and the following are millionaires:
Seager,
Kikuchi,
Gonzales,
Haniger,
Montero,
Crawford,
Graveman,
Flexen,
White,
Paxton,
True not all are, never said all were, but jeebus!
Read Mariners minor league players have a high vax rate
Above what? It’s not a mandatory vaccine. Complicit in what? Not pressuring players into making personal medical choices for a virus with a ridiculously low mortality rate under retirement age? Go ahead and don’t spend your money. I have no idea how the Mariners will survive without you….
Next time a player gets suspended for a PED and says he didn’t know the supplement he bought at GNC was on the banned substance list you’ll probably be leading the charge saying there is no way a professional athlete would not know exactly what substance he is putting in his body.
Nope, sorry. Your comment is known as “false equivalence.”
So jabbing yourself with an experimental vaccine is doing the right thing huh?
Inspiring to see my Ms choose to exercise their own medical choices for their own personal selves. It’s a personal choice and this intense pressure from pro covid vaxers to force their beliefs down everyone else’s throat is disheartening to say the least. People have different beliefs and opinions and that’s what makes America great.
Pay attention to who the hateful and hostile side is. It’s clear to see where this is headed.
If they don’t get the vaccine and infect their children or others who were unable to get the vaccine, it demonstrates how selfish they and their ilk are.
You’ve clearly demonstrated a lack of understanding about statistical data in relation to COVID and children.
Most children can’t get the vaccine anyway. Both my wife and I have gotten the vaccine but I have 3 children 8 and under so they are unable to get the vaccine so we can still pass on to them no different than someone who hasn’t received the vaccine. The vaccine doesn’t prevent you from getting COVID but it should limit your symptoms. As my wife’s doctor described to her since she has asthma, the vaccine won’t keep her from getting COVID but it will probably keep her out of the ER.
Bone19. He lost. Time to get over your disappointment.
Funny telling someone to get over something by randomly bringing that thing back up.
Yes, how terrible of Bone19 to make a calm and well thought out post. Shame on that person!
Asians, Jews and African Americans would say hi, but they have been attacked by you and the rightwing and are busy bleeding all over the sidewalk.
Those violent right-wingers. That must be why people are leaving Republican states by the masses…oh wait, never mind. They are leaving Democrat states by the masses. How about the Republican mayor of Chicago who won’t take questions from white reporters right now? Oh wait, never mind. It’s a Democratic mayor who won’t take interviews from white reporters right now. Ya, screw those tolerant right wingers!
Ur a moron
Oh my goodness between you and Ted…I really have no words. You two are literally unbearable…even with the vaccine you got who wants to be around people like you? how darest anyone haveth a different opinion!
African-Americans are attacking Asians. Pro-Palestinian groups are attacking Jews. And no one is attacking African-Americans. Seriously its the “tolerant left” behind the vast majority of violence against American people
Ur a moron
Maybe you should check who is responsible for the hate there chief
Players announced: Vest, Dugger, Misiewicz, Steckenrider. Basically, 4 of their better relievers. Bullpen is officially AAA-caliber. Over/under on run differential in the San Diego sweep this weekend?
Bullpen has been AAA caliber regardless outside of Gravemen
Everyone knew there would be growing pains with this young team, but this was one that didn’t have to happen.
I thought Dipoto was going to invest in the bullpen this past offseason?
Yet another stated goal that Dipoto failed to fulfill. When are you finally going to admit that he’s a bad GM?
He re-signed Graveman for the bullpen, brought in Middleton, Steckenrider, and rule-5 selection Vest, and traded for Montero. He shook things up with the bullpen and they got off to a great start. Overuse and injuries, partially due to the exhaustion of the starting pitching depth, has taken its toll, but that was arguably the one area of success this offseason.
The problem was the team needed another starter (in addition to Flexen & Paxton), a stopgap first baseman, a second baseman or a fallback option, and a corner outfielder.
They got none of those. Dipoto was given a shoe-string budget, had requests for multi-year deals vetoed by the now departed Kevin Mather, and here we are.
This (2021 mess) isn’t on Dipoto, but the task of pulling the team out of the rebuild is still on him and ownership needs to start owning up to their promises of spending. It’s a lost cause if he doesn’t have the resources he needs.
It feels weird to me that a team can lose 4 major league players and I have never heard of any of them. I don’t know EVERY player like I did when I was younger, but not knowing any of 4 from the same team feels just weird.
Don’t feel bad, I’m in Seattle and it’s almost impossible to keep up with a Jerry Dipoto roster.
Team churn through so many more players now than 20 years ago too. Probably a good thing you don’t know all of them.
Well the Padres just played games with 5 players on the list, 4 starters. Depending if they have enough subs to fill in they should play.
What constitutes a necessary delay? As you said we had to put 5 on IL in 2 days with no discussion or benefit of any postponements. If the Mariners can’t field a full squad tonight, then give them a day to call-up some scrubs and we’ll do a doubleheader tomorrow or Sunday.
MLB needs to tie this one off. If teams have players or staff that test positive or otherwise exposed then they don’t get to delay games or reschedule. They play with the numbers they have or they have to forfeit. Opposing teams shouldn’t have their schedules out of whack because an organization can’t provide adequate leadership.
They’re playing tonight…
Again the right leadership is what you believe to be right? If you are afraid of getting Covid does that mean you are not vaccinated? If so why not? For the dad of the kids above transmission to kids from kids to other kids or to adult is very very low. I keep hearing follow the science but then you ignore the science that disagrees with your stand. Another lesson in tolerance.
DiPoto needs to go- clown show. Don’t be fooled by the Kelenic trade- Brodie did the heavy lifting…all DiPoto had to do was say yes before he burst out laughing at the absurdity of the offer
goodness why did I scroll down…
I had the same thought reading these comments as I sip my morning coffee.
Worst sports franchise ever
This is the shittiest, most toxic comment section on the internet.
Yeah, as a liberal commenter on a few prominent boards, I’ve seen other sites where the Wingnuts intimidated the owners into allowing unmoderated vitriol.. Happened here a few weeks ago–“vote on allowing…”
The slime generally kills the click traffic so they either will have to invest resources in tamping it down or just close comments.
Some offenders here are on subscription, too. .It’s not helping that.
Why else come here if not to comment? I can find out about M’s players getting covid from just about anywhere. I dont need a national baseball website to keep me informed.
The fact that’s you believe it’s one side that is toxic, is very telling. Especially when you scroll up and see there’s one side telling people to get vacc’d or leave the country, or lose your job, or just effing die already.
I’m sorry you have to hear from people you disagree with, but if you think tamping down comments is the most effective way to use the internet, perhaps it’s not for you.
Apparently someone is used to big tech censoring those he disagrees with
Unmoderated vitriol = any opinion differing from the group think.
Isn’t it ironic that “liberals” are the most closed minded people you’ll ever encounter?
Independent thought is simply not allowed if you want to be a part of the herd.
I can’t wait to watch your heads explode once the results of the Maricopa audit come back.
That’s not an audit, but you keep drinking that Kool-aid and pretending you think for yourself.
I’ve tried having a reasonable discussion regarding covid….masks…etc. I just get insulted. That’s all they have.
Where we struggle is 2+2 = 4. You can’t say it = 5 and that you are an independent thinker or that your opinion matters. Perfectly acceptable to have reasonable discussions about things in life but they have to be tied to the actual world. Therefore, if you believe that the election numbers were fixed, vaccines don’t work, etc., you aren’t going to have an honest discussion w/ anyone – might as well think the Mariners are secretly hitting .400 as a team.
Jonny. Simplistic stereotyping of “liberals” as close-minded is a blanket insult that is the very definition of the closed mindedness that you purport to disdain. It accomplishes nothing other than stroking one’s troubled fixation. Viewed from space or in the eyes of the many other species on this planet, and in my opinion, humans of all parties and tribes are all very much similar to one another, and a poor example of sustainability.
I thought this was a sports site.
Don’t you think if team would have kept Wakefield and Varitek we would have won at least one championship. Ownership has almost always been the problem. Haven’t had a good gm in long time.
I think you mean Derek Lowe and Varitek. Wakefield came to Boston after being let go by the Pirates
Time to just play ball
I forgot what story was about after reading all these far out comments, but if anyone wants to give away tickets to a Mariners game, I’ll take 2 please.