ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals have released the names of six players who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The players are:
- Yadier Molina
- Paul DeJong
- Edmundo Sosa
- Rangel Ravelo
- Junior Fernández
- Kodi Whitley
All players authorized to have their names publicly released, the team said in a news release Tuesday morning. One player remains unidentified.
In all, the Cardinals reported 13 COVID-19 cases: seven players and six staff members.
Molina was the first Redbird to announce the news. He took to his Instagram page Tuesday morning to share a message with fans and followers.
"Good morning I am saddened to have tested positive for COVID-19, even after following the prevention recommendations. I'll do everything in my power to get back ASAP for Cardinals fans, the City of St. Louis and my teammates. As I recover, I request that you respect my and my family's privacy during my absence from the team. Blessings!," Molina said on Instagram, translated from Spanish.
DeJong also shared a message with Cardinals fans in the news release from the team.
“I am disappointed to share that I have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, even though I followed team protocols,” stated DeJong. “I will approach my healing as I do all other things in my life – with education, commitment, and persistence. I look forward to re-joining the team soon and ask that you respect my privacy at this time.”
On Monday, Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said the members of the team who had tested positive had already driven back to their homes in St. Louis.
The rest of the team remains quarantined in a Milwaukee hotel. Mozeliak said he hopes the rest of the team will be able to head back to St. Louis on Wednesday.