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Andrelton Simmons bunted to break up Corey Kluber’s no-hit bid

By Bill BaerApr 4, 2018, 6:06 PM EDT
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The Twins are going to have some strong words for Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons after he broke one of baseball’s unwritten rules. With Indians starter Corey Kluber bringing a no-hit bid into the fifth inning of Wednesday afternoon’s game, Simmons laid down a bunt to the left side with one out. Third baseman Jose Ramirez charged in and fielded the ball, but he had no shot to throw Simmons out.

Of course, I mention the Twins with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek. The Twins recently took offense to Orioles catcher Chance Sisco laying down a bunt when Jose Berrios attempted to polish off a one-hit shutout. While that isn’t in baseball’s book of unwritten rules, there has long been a belief that one should not bunt when a pitcher has a no-hitter going. It’s equally as nonsensical, and I don’t expect the Indians to gripe about it.

After Luis Valbuena struck out for the second out of the inning, Shohei Ohtani drove a Corey Kluber fastball out to center field for a two-run home run, tying the game at 2-2. It’s Ohtani’s second major league homer in as many days.

MLB and MLBPA announce first set of COVID-19 test results

MLB COVID-19 test results
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By Bill BaerJul 3, 2020, 5:29 PM EDT
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On Friday evening, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association announced the first set of results for COVID-19 testing as part of the mandatory intake screening process under MLB’s COVID-19 Health Monitoring & Testing Plan. Per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Athletics are not part of this data because their testing has not yet been completed.

There were 38 positive tests, accounting for 1.2% of the 3,185 samples collected and tested. 31 of the 38 individuals who tested positive are players. 19 different teams had one or more individuals test positive.

Sports Illustrated’s Emma Baccellieri notes that the positive test rate in the U.S. nationally is 8.3 percent. The NBA’s positive test rate was 7.1 percent. MLB’s positive test rate is well below average. This doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong with MLB’s testing or that it’s an atypical round of testing. Rather, MLB’s testing population may more closely represent the U.S. population as a whole. Currently, because testing is still somewhat limited, those who have taken tests have tended to be those exhibiting symptoms or those who have been around others who have tested positive. If every single person in the U.S. took a test, the positive test rate would likely come in at a much lower number.

Several players who tested positive have given their consent for their identities to be made known. Those are: Delino DeShields (link), Brett Martin (link), Edward Colina, Nick Gordon, and Willians Astudillo (link). Additionally, Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodríguez has not shown up to Red Sox camp yet because he has been around someone who tested positive, per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.