Nationals right-handers Erick Fedde and Tanner Rainey were placed on the team’s COVID-related injured list Wednesday after Fedde tested positive for the coronavirus and Rainey was quarantined as a close-contact possibility to Fedde. Since Fedde is asymptomatic and had already received a vaccine, teammate Max Scherzer told reporters (including Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post) that he feels Fedde’s trip to the IL was unnecessary.
“We got to update the rules here,” Scherzer said. “We got to start following the science, listening to what the CDC says, whether this is union or MLB, the people above us. We got to update the protocols here. Vaccinated players are testing positive, they are asymptomatic and should be allowed to play. Plain and simple.”
Beyond just being one of the sport’s biggest names, Scherzer’s opinion carries some extra weight considering that he is both the Nationals’ MLBPA rep and a member of the union’s executive board. The right-hander indicated that he had “reached out to a couple other players across the league” and “we’re all on the same page” that the league’s COVID-19 rules were in need of adjustment.
“Other guys in our clubhouse are thinking the same way, so that’s probably the way we’re thinking across the league. Probably a good amount of players want that to have that be the case,” Scherzer said. “There’s a benefit to taking the vaccine. We got to believe in the science, in that if you’re asymptomatic and you’re vaccinated, then you can play baseball….The vaccinated players should reap the benefits for doing this. This is what we want. We want our players to be vaccinated.”
As Dougherty notes, there is a bit of “gray area” within the guidelines released by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, quite possibly due to the ever-evolving nature of research into COVID-19 and how vaccines can guard against the virus. According to one CDC guideline, a fully-vaccinated person (like Fedde) “should not visit private or public settings if they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the prior 10 days or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.”
However, CDC guidelines also state that a fully-vaccinated person without symptoms (again, like Fedde) can “refrain” from testing or a quarantine “following a known exposure.” As well, the CDC’s website wrote in April that “A growing body of evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection and potentially less likely to transmit SARS-CoV-2 to others. However, further investigation is ongoing.”
Major League Baseball has understandably tended to err on the side of caution when it comes to COVID protocols. Even with these rules in place, there have still been multiple COVID cases among individuals within baseball, as well as wider outbreaks among teams — last season’s outbreaks involving the Marlins and Cardinals being the most prominent examples of the latter. Even this season, the Nationals themselves had their first four games postponed due to an outbreak that sent nine players to the COVID-related list, either as close contacts or actual positive cases. The Nats also aren’t one of the 12 teams who have reached the threshold (85 percent vaccination rate) for some health and safety protocols to be relaxed.
It is quite possible that the league will indeed talk with the MLBPA about changing COVID protocols should that list of teams increase from 12 to at least a majority of the league, or until more is known about whether or not vaccinated individuals with COVID-19 indeed pose a lower risk of infection rate. There are league mechanisms in place for some wiggle room within the protocols, however, as Dougherty writes that “MLB and the MLBPA’s joint committee can clear a vaccinated, asymptomatic individual who has received back-to-back negative test results.”
Luc (Soto 3rd best in the game)
Mad Max is the best pitcher of his generation. No Cap
louwhitakerisahofer
Clayton Kershaw enters the chat room…
Yep it is
Kershaw has the numbers but I wouldn’t want him in my bullpen during any post season. Please don’t tell me about the 40% season World Series last year. That was a money grab. Hey we played 60 games and won it ALL. CHOKE, CHOKE,CHOKE
BeforeMcCourt
Hahahaha
All the people acknowledge kershaw is the better pitcher they’re just so biased they can’t admit he’s the better pitcher. But he grunts like he’s taking a crap every pitch. That’s gotta count for something!!!
Gotta love it. What an idiotic argument
Youtube.com/@PINGTR1P
Is it a coincidence he pitched the best he ever has in a postseason in 2020?
SoCalBrave
As a Braves fan, I might be a little biased, since I’ve seen more of Scherzer than of Kershaw, but if I had to select 1 of those 2 pitchers to win a game, I’ll take Scherzer any day.
BeforeMcCourt
Max is a great pitcher. Kershaw has had a generational career and is still just 33
Kershaw is 3 years younger than Max but has his beat in every statistical category except Ks. And Max has kershaw beat there by a whopping 14 Ks per year.
Sorry kershaw pitches when you’re already in bed. But it doesn’t negate how fantastic his career has been
Dutch Vander Linde
Degrom says what’s up!
MikeGrr19
Better than Kershaw?
Both rookies same year
Luc (Soto 3rd best in the game)
I may be a little bias but I think Max is better. Statistics wise Kershaw is a little better, but Max is a competitor with his grunt and stalking the mound. I am also counting the postseason and Max is better, Kershaw isn’t even the best in it but he chokes in the big spots and he’s the ace.
BeforeMcCourt
Here Luc, suck on this stat for better at preventing runs. Both have 14 years in their career. Kershaw has ***one*** season with an ERA over 3.00
Scherzer has ***SEVEN***. And all 7 were higher than Kershaw’s only blemish at 3.03
Just stop. There’s no stat you can argue with and you’re just showing how biased and how uninformed for all of baseball you are. He’s your guy. Cool congrats. He’s not the best
2020WorldChampions
As far as ‘ Generational talent” Scherzer isn’t even in the same conversation as Kershaw . Any notion to the contrary is ill founded.
Guys need to do their homework…..Go pull Kersh’s career numbers off of Prospectus or fangraphs and come back here and try to type that idiotic statement again. Better yet, break down your foolish argument with stats like a big boy. Prove it.
Clayton Kershaw’s career numbers aren’t just staggering, they are arguably inimitable.
Luc (Soto 3rd best in the game)
Your a dodger fan so your bias, I am to. I think Mad Max is better, yes Kershaw had the best season but Scherzer is who I want in Game 7, he’s got the attitude the demeanor, Kershaw doesn’t have that.
BlueSkies_LA
Phony baloney, Luc.
themed
In a big game I’d take Scherzer over Kershaw any day of the week!
Smacky
Kershaw has spent his whole career in a division that always has 3 garbage teams in it.
BeforeMcCourt
Smacky, if the NLE is so superior To the NLW, why have more pennant AND World Series winners come from the west since their career started in 2008?
Just admit it. There’s no actual reason to take Max other than bias for who you watch more. It’s okay. We all already know this
hiflew
I think Justin Verlander has a pretty good case here as well.
philliesfan215
Yes
miltpappas
Thanks for your vote, Kate.
BeforeMcCourt
Neither came up and dominated. Neither are better than Kershaw for their career
And I’d take peak kershaw over anyone mentioned here any day of the week
BeforeMcCourt
Verlanders career era is nearly a full run higher, and even though he has 2 more seasons (and verlanders 4 years older), their WARs are within 1 win of each other.
Next.
mcmillankmm
Settle down Max
For Love of the Game
Maybe stop random testing for players and coaches who are fully vaccinated? But that’s up to the owners and players to decide what level of risk they are comfortable with.
vacommish
Or stop random testing anyone. The test produces a slew of false positives and the standards keep changing.
gbs42
I heard a similar idea from someone else a few months ago. Reduce the testing and you reduce the positive test results. Science!
Twinsfan79
Math!
sportsgenius
Cuz u don’t agree with him? So he must be wrong then to question potentially outdated rules by mlb
The Baseball Fan
I think everyone has right to an opinion.
Luc (Soto 3rd best in the game)
I agree. If he feels that if you get vaccinated players should still be able to play if they are asymptomatic thats fine. I disagree with some of it, but it’s his opinion
A'sfaninUK
If that opinion is really stupid then that person should have to pay people to listen to it though.
swinging wood
Who gets to play the Opinion Police in this case?
mlb1225
I don’t know if I would agree that if a player is asymptamatic, but still tests positive, they should play, but I do agree that they should at least revise the protocols. How many times have the protocols been changed since this all started and they were put in place?
My Strawman > Your Strawman
Oh, good. An excuse to fight about masks!
despicable_you
Woo hoo!
mlbnyyfan
Max is great but I have a feeling Met fans will disagree.
Ducky Buckin Fent
Fighting about wearing a mask is now passe.
The fight(s) will be about getting vaccinated or not.
Bet.
My Strawman > Your Strawman
I’m not opposed to adding vaccination to the mix, but baseball is all about staying mired in the past.
Ducky Buckin Fent
Touché.
CalcetinesBlancos
Did Max ask Andrelton Simmons what he thinks? I’m sure he could point him in the direction of a good conspiracy theory or two.
ItsStillMillerPark
The CDC and this administration has shown time and time again that politics rules over science.
If you are good, Joe will let you gather….well possibly gather in small groups for the 4th of July. But nothing is certain. Must wait for Joe.
Meanwhile a bunch of people are stuffed in facilities at the border, not being tested, and being shipped to wherever.
metsochist
Sure… that’s what he actually said.
And I take it the last administration was the one that placed science above politics?
My favorite thing is how you keep updating your comment to cram in more insanity.
Gotta love the mute button.
themed
The last administration was led by a bully a liar a rapist and a tax evader.
A'sfaninUK
America’s previous president is responsible for 500,000 of his people’s deaths, on his watch. Please stop talking about Joe, who at least admits its real.
BuyBuyMets
TDS induced insanity is hilarious.
He’s still living rent free in your head. With your microscopic brain, there is plenty of room for him.
CalcetinesBlancos
@$21002046
Wait, what? Why are you so eager to put one of your weird labels on someone who is merely making an observation about the previous US president, who literally left office a few months ago? Also, when you name call it’s pretty apparent that you have no argument, otherwise you’d be making it.
Have you considered a move to North Korea? I think you’d fit right in there.
Cambio
Does that mean every country can blame their leader for Covid deaths in their country? I dont live in the US but this notion that America blames Trump (one man) for 500,000 deaths is ridiculous. People need to take personal responsibility for their actions. What a joke!
CalcetinesBlancos
“People need to take personal responsibility for their actions.”
Lol, the irony here is off the charts.
Cambio
I’m not saying that he couldnt’ve handled things better. Of course he could have. However, it doesn’t remove personal responsibility from each individual. Should you blame the government because you are broke? Should you blame the government because you are fat? The hospitals sent people home with mild symptoms instead of prescribing Ivermectin. This is the reason that tons of front line doctors are speaking out. They are tired of this lunacy. You don’t wait until people can’t breathe before you treat them!
machumizer
Half the country believed anything he said, that half went around spreading the hell out of it directly causing the most deaths out of any country. You can ignore the facts all you want but its pretty clear to everyone thats not a brainwashed trumper. Theres a reason all the red states are the worst states in every category, none of them can do any ounce of critical thinking.
Cambio
I think the worst states/cities in Crime and Covid cases are blue states…
Portland, Chicago, California…
trout27
As President Truman said “ the buck stops here. In the end the President is responsible for the decisions of others. In the case of Covid, it was the previous president who overrode the science and experts’ warnings about the spread of the virus. The lack of attention to the crisis and his insistence on reopening businesses and schools prematurely led to the summer surge and the fall surge that was responsible for over 500,000 premature deaths.
SoCalBrave
@Cambio you’re right, about 60% of those deaths were inevitable. Trump’s administration is only responsible for about 40% of those, so about 200K deaths are his fault, not all 500K.
Halo11Fan
Can we just all stay away from politicians No one want it.
2020WorldChampions
@ItsstillMillerpark Do you actually wear that MAGA hat at Miller Park……Or only when you’re watching Fox news?
Also, Can you tell us about that Lysol cocktail your guy suggested last year. Did it work?
Skeptical
Do you ever visit reality?
Kewldood69
Bro, your cult daddy Trump had zero plan for COVID. Go hunting or something:
hugh jass
Doesn’t really matter who’s in charge, they’re all corrupt and get to play by a different set of rules than regular people.
Joel Peterson
We are trying to make rules fit into something that we as a country still don’t understand. And the main problem is capitalism. Capitalism is what insists we keep playing baseball but it’s also what’s insisting we keep freaking out over a virus.
How do you truly know who to trust? You don’t. You really don’t. And that’s not a good thing folks.
DarkSide830
yeesh…
Ancient Pistol
Capitalism is not the problem and it doesn’t insist on anything since it’s a concept and not a real thing. It’s people who want to earn because A). they want to, or more important, B) they have to.
The challenge as I see it is some people are very concerned and others are not as concerned. Those who are, as I am, have to take steps to protect yourself. You can’t rely on others to do it for you. If the players want looser rules they they can have it. If they don’t then keep the rules. Or, of they change the rules and some are concerned then they need to take the necessary precautions themselves.
A'sfaninUK
I trust whatever Vietnam and New Zealand are doing, because its working.
Did you know they don’t even have antimaskers or antivaxxers in those countries, its written off as “American propaganda” – feel cheated yet?
Dennis Boyd
Vietnam has +77% increase in cases and +400% increase in deaths this past week, so…
Oh, yeah I heard there was a family of non-vaxxed MAGA hat wearers vacationing there last week. Must have been an asymptomatic super spreader event. I bet Sanjay Gupta is heading over there now for an expose nobody will watch on CNN.
BlueSkies_LA
So… much fun with numbers. Even with Vietnam’s increase and our decline, our case rate is still over 50 times higher, and our rate of mortality is infinitesimally higher.
swinging wood
New Zealand is a group of islands that closed their borders. It really can’t be compared to any other countries, except for other islands with tight border control.
BlueSkies_LA
It’s difficult to follow Scherzer’s reasoning. An infected person can transmit the virus even if they are asymptomatic. In reality an asymptomatic and untested person may be more likely to transmit because they won’t know that they are infected. We’ve been aware of all of this for a year or more. Maybe the MLB protocols should be changed in some way, but not that one.
whynot 2
I was thinking the same thing. It’s funny he questions these protocols only after his team is affected. So much for the notion he is doing it for the benefit of all players.
BlueSkies_LA
An argument could be made that once a team reaches a specified level of inoculation (85% seems to be MLB’s goal) that a positive test should result in that player not being kept from the field but from circulating with others not on the team. I’m not sure how that works either though since the player would be making contact with players from other teams. Once all the teams get to the inoculation level it might be possible for MLB to allow what Scherzer is demanding, but it’s difficult to see how it can be accomplished now. I don’t know if he’s being selfish or unrealistic only that he isn’t following the science himself.
terrymesmer
Scherzer is definitely not understanding the science. If you are infected, you can transmit the virus to others, regardless of your vaccine status. And I am not aware of any teams that are 100% vaccinated. That other players feel the same way as he does is not relevant to the science in any way.
PutPeteinthehall
Let someone that is a possible carrier play as long as the person feels well? Am I missing something here? If everyone is vaccinated I’m ok with the close contact playing as long as he’s negative. However I’m not ok with the positive player being anywhere near anyone else.
gost1
Oh, like Turner in the WS?
Where are all the dead people from that?
Also, name a player that has even been hospitalized?
Also, name a treatment that most assuredlty worked BEFORE gene therapy in 2020? Since no player had known repurcussions, surely something worked such that they are no longer positive BEFORE vaccines?
Of course, we actually know what does work, elevated Vit D, Ivermectin, HCQ with zinc, Z-pak and other vitimins is what healthy people do to boost their robust natural immunity. Which is what 99.9% of baseball players are comprised of…
GASoxFan
I think Eduardo Rodriguez would have something to say about hospitalizations from covid. And months of being unable to get out of bed.
You said just one. There’s one for starters.
BlueSkies_LA
Don’t get caught up in debating the misinformers. They’ve been serving up the same disinformation for over a year. You’ll forever be starting from square one with them, when the rest of the world has moved well beyond.
Tatsumaki
Only disinformation is the stuff coming out of your mouth. No facts just opinions. Again a simple google search shows that California and New York have highest deaths from covid and it’s not close. You only don’t listen to things you don’t agree with.
Halo11Fan
E Rod is pitching this year. More pitchers suffer issues pitching than Covid.
If E Rod was the worst case possible then all the people who said this isn’t a big deal for players were right.
Science says this was not a big deal for healthy young people. And by big deal, the flu. And the flu also kills young healthy people… but at a higher rate.
This should have been all identifying and protecting the vulnerable.
Tatsumaki
Also ironic is blue states with highest restrictions have the most deaths and cases in country. Go figure. “TrUsT tHe ScIeNcE!”
Dennis Boyd
Yeah, don’t forget Freddy Freeman! He got COVID last year and…oh yeah he got better and won the MVP award…if any ball players or staff are scared of the virus they can be protected and isolated from the game of baseball, a young and healthy mans game. This isn’t bingo at the old folks home. The young, healthy, and yes, even the asymptomatics should be allowed to play. This is ridiculous.
Halo11Fan
Players without underlying conditions are not at risk, these players have never been at serious risk. Science and data has shown that to be true.
Vaccinated coaches, managers and vulnerable personal do have minor risks. Do you want to minimize their risks even further? I say yes.
I say keep them in place. So a player misses a few games…players are always missing games.
chalk73
Will you feel the same way if Trout misses any more games after he comes back in a couple of months? What if he is ready to play and receives a false positive test?
Halo11Fan
Then he receives a false positive and is out another week. I will feel the exact same way. This is such a small precaution.
someoldguy
The test multiple ways.. if you have a positive to the quick test.. then they do the Nasal swab test..
basquiat
MLB hasn’t said which test they are using. The quick test gives a less reliable result. It’s a tradeoff to get guys back on the field sooner. MLBTR should look into what protocols MLB is using. That would make the issue a little clearer.
A'sfaninUK
If you are vaccinated you can still pass the disease to others, no? Getting vaxxed means you yourself wont get hurt by the effects of the disease, but you still have it and can still pass it.
Athletes have always been some of our not brightest people, but this is going to get non-vaccinated people killed.
Halo11Fan
The primary purpose of a mask is to prevent the wearer from spreading the disease. The CDC says if you are vaccinated, you don’t have to wear a mask.
So who is crazy? The CDC or you?
Even though the President and the CDC says I don’t have to wear a mask because I’m vaccinated, I wear a mask because it’s polite and it makes the person next to me more comfortable.
someoldguy
My mask says: Vaccinated, I wear this for you
Halo11Fan
SomeOldDude I love it.
tuna411
@ halo…”I wear a mask because it is polite”…
you are brainwashed
Halo11Fan
Making people around you feel more comfortable is polite. You are obviously a self centered jerk.
Dennis Boyd
@A’sfan, Well if the evil asymptos kill the evil non-vaxxed, it is now each of their choices, right? So let them play, let them assume the risk. Why are you so worried about the people you have disdain for anyway? Also, nice of you to cast aspersions on athletes’ intelligence. I guess you’re just too smart to compete in any athletic competition?
Cooperdooper7
More dumbasses buying all this BS
BrendanBrewFan
Mike as much as a despise arguing politics at any point, and especially on a Baseball site, lol I have to add a bit to your comment. I’m pro Capitalism, however, I’m not for completely free unfettered free markets. Your examples of socialism from Latin America are not the only versions of “socialism”. It’s not a governing principle so much as an economic model and there are varying degrees of it, just as there are varying degrees of capitalism. (communism is a big difference, as that pretty much has one economic model and seems ideal in theory, and probably is, however, can’t work in the real world, I refer you to Animal Farm, because “some animals are always MORE equal than others” lol) But government exerting more control on certain aspects of the free market is not ‘socialism” that equates in any way to communism, nor is it the bugaboo that you make it out to be. There are indeed lots of countries that do it well, and have done for quite some time. I’m neither advocating for them, nor against them, I just dislike the always, overarching, “hey look at Latin America for how bad socialism is” spiel. At best is disingenuous at worst its willful ignorance. But have a nice day.
rocky7
Love to hear exactly which countries use Socialism in its pure form and are “doing it well and for quite some time”? I think you’re mixing the narrative here by inferring that there are countries that have constitutional references to socialism in their Government structure and are very different than most of Latin America..especially Cuba, and Communist China, N. Korea…etc.
Trying to convince us that Socialism in any form is good as compared to Capitalism is a conversation that’s shouldn’t go anywhere but right to hell…..quickly and does not pass Go and collect $200!
BrendanBrewFan
My two cents (that with inflation are probably only worth one cent, lol) I understand Max’s point, but I disagree a bit. Even “science” is flying a bit by the seat of their pants right now. Normally these things take years. Studies alone take years. Here we are trying to save lives, save an economy, live our lives, etc, all in a very short time frame as these things go. A bit more patience with evolving science wouldn’t be too much to ask. However, I do agree with him that baseball and the union should always be proactive in finding the “best practices” in dealing with the pandemic, testing, dealing with positive tests, etc. But we don’t have to continually be jumping down the other side’s throat, whatever that side is, whenever new information or the next crux point happens. Not everything is perfect, not everything will be perfect, and at this point, with the country having invested so much in GDP loss, lives lost, sheer dollars spent, all of us putting lives on hold for over a year, erring on the side of caution seems the appropriate thing to do. But I certainly understand the drive for normalcy. lol.
tedtheodorelogan
Stop testing people who are fully vaccinated. It is known that even in the unlikely event that they have a breakthrough infection, their likelihood of transmission is miniscule. We need to treat this like a virus that over 99 percent of unvaccinated people survive, because that’s what it is. If you haven’t been vaccinated at this point, that’s on you.
MWeller77
People with compromised immune systems may not be protected from COVID by the vaccine. We shouldn’t cast their fates to the wind. It’s not as cut and dry as you make it sound. Lack of appropriate preventive measures led to hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths, so urging that we abandon those measures prematurely is very, very foolish.
Also, over 3 million people have died worldwide. To claim that “99% survive” is not only misleading, it diminishes that loss. Your claim is quite frankly obscene, cruel, and shameful.
someoldguy
you ignore the 10% of the Victims who get the virus and have long term symptoms.. some of them disabled for life..
hiflew
I hate it when someone tried to state in their argument that something is “plain and simple” when it is clearly not plain or simple. Yes, false positives for vaccinated people can happen, but does that mean we should risk a huge outbreak by ignoring it? Vaccinations are very helpful, but they do not stop the disease 100%. They just make the disease less likely to kill you. But the biggest key is that even if you are vaccinated, you are still a carrier and can easily infect people that are around you that are not vaccinated .
That has been my biggest problem with people.arguing about masks, social distancing, and vaccinations. All of those things are not about YOU. They are to protect everyone else from YOU. Stop being selfish and help to protect others that might be a little worse off than you.
Monkey’s Uncle
Well said, thank you.
someoldguy
a simple solution: those who are vaccinated play.. those who aren’t go on the Covid IL til they are.. same with coaches, FO personnel.. staff members… . then you don’t have to worry
Cambio
The players that aren’t vaccinated are probably waiting until the data is collected between now and 2023. They should have enough money to sit out for 2 years. The route that you are proposing will likely lead to forced vaccinations. I believe a man with a small mustache did something like that years ago…
someoldguy
. if the MLB , which is a private business, wants to play only the vaccinated for fear of infecting other and possibly be sued later for failure to protect its workers and fans.. .. they have that “right” ..
lapadsfan
fallow teh sience
drucec
What’s missing from this discussion are the questions of 1) how effective is the vaccine the coaches and players are getting and 2) what tests are they using. Based on published statistics about “breakthrough” cases, the Yankee 8 coach/player outbreak (all of whom were purportedly fully vaccinated) is statistically impossible. So…either the breakthrough statistics are wrong (very well may be and perhaps sports teams with required regular testing despite vaccination status are a better sample group), the vaccine they received (J&J?) was not as effective as hoped, or the tests they are using are generating excess false positives. These questions really need to be resolved before anyone, including Max Scherzer, decides to change protocols.
Halo11Fan
Drucec. Something does not add up.
BeforeMcCourt
Or they lied and they weren’t all fully vaccinated
Why is that not even on your radar?
“Business lies to keep business running”. Uhhh
BeforeMcCourt
“ The Nats also aren’t one of the 12 teams who have reached the threshold (85 percent vaccination rate) for some health and safety protocols to be relaxed.”
In conclusion, Max is whining to the media when he should be yelling at his own teammates
He’s trying to bargain from a position his team hasn’t even achieved. All while ignoring the scores of non athletes that work at MLB stadiums and the potential risk they face. Wow. You’re a real hero Max
wjf010
“follow the science” and “shelter in place” are almost as stupid as calling the disable list the injured list