Reds on track to return next week after COVID-19 scare

The Cincinnati Reds should be returning to the baseball diamond here soon.

We have good news on the Cincinnati Reds playing baseball again front.

After having their Saturday and Sunday games vs. the division rival Pittsburgh Pirates postponed due to a positive coronavirus test, Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported on Sunday morning that all of Saturday’s tests came back negative for the Reds. With a scheduled day off on Monday, Aug. 17, we might see the Reds back in action very soon, possibly by early next week.

Could the Cincinnati Reds return to play as early as Tuesday, Aug. 18?

The Reds’ next game is against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday. Trevor Bauer is slated to start that road game for Cincinnati, as the Reds look to get within one game of .500 in the middle of August. Cincinnati is 9-11 on the season through 20 games. Though they are in fourth place in the NL Central, Cincinnati isn’t out of the postseason race just yet.

Assuming the Reds don’t have any more positive tests between now and Tuesday morning, they might be able to play that two-game series vs. the Royals over in Kansas City. If the MLB wants to be smart about it, they may create an additional day of separation from the positive test by forcing the Reds and the Royals to play a doubleheader seven innings style on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

As far as we know, the Reds aren’t going to have as rough of a time with the coronavirus as the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals had earlier this season. We haven’t had a day were all 30 franchises are playing games in several weeks now, as the Marlins had their outbreak early, followed by the Cardinals and now with what looks to be a very minor one with the Reds.

This test could have been a false positive for the Reds, or we may not have been disclosed with who tested positive for the coronavirus, whether that be a player, coach or someone on the staff. Either way, the MLB made the smart decision to postpone the final two games of the weekend series with the Pirates to best contain any potential spread between these two clubs.

The Reds might be back on the diamond within the next few days.