Red Sox: Hunter Renfroe makes wild accusations against MLB amid COVID-19 outbreak, league responds

Red Sox outfielder Hunter Renfroe claims MLB told Boston to stop testing for COVID-19 during the team’s ongoing outbreak.

Hunter Renfroe had a wild Wednesday night, hitting a go-ahead home run and launching a game-winning cannon shot from right field to third base to beat the Rays.

His Thursday turned out to be even crazier when he made an appearance on WEEI and dropped a bombshell allegation from the middle of the Red Sox COVID-19 outbreak.

“MLB basically told us to stop the testing and just treat the symptoms. We’re like ‘No. We’re gonna figure out what’s going and keep this thing under control.'”

When host Lou Merloni pressed him, Renfroe was unequivocal in his assertion that MLB told the team to stop.

MLB and the Red Sox responded to Hunter Renfroe’s claims

A spokesperson for MLB told Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe, “He is completely wrong and inaccurate.”

The Red Sox also released a statement via a spokesperson, but they were much more cagey and didn’t go out of their way to deny Renfroe’s assertion.

“We have been following MLB’s COVID-19 protocols all season long. We have consulted closely with them on everything we’ve done and continue to test and their medical staff has been very supportive,” the spokesperson said per Chris Cotillo of Mass Live.

Is this a case of misinformation? It doesn’t seem likely Renfroe would outright lie about such a thing. It’s possible he misunderstood an MLB request. It’s also possible MLB tried to get Boston’s COVID outbreak under control by sweeping it under the rug.

The Red Sox have put up to 11 players on the COVID reserve list either because of positive tests or close contacts.