Nationals' Yan Gomes: Opens season on COVID IL
The Nationals placed Gomes on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Gomes is one of nine Nationals players on the 40-man roster who will begin the campaign on the IL as a result of the team's recent COVID-19 outbreak. Prior reports have suggested that only four of the players in question have confirmed positive tests, but it's uncertain whether Gomes is one of the infected players or merely a close contact. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, players that tested positive will be eligible to return after 10 days in quarantine, while those ruled out through contact tracing can return after a week. With Alex Avila joining Gomes on the COVID-19 IL to begin the season, the Nationals will be without their top two catchers. Jonathan Lucroy and Tres Barrera were both added to the Opening Day roster as replacements, and Lucroy is slated to catch Max Scherzer in Tuesday's season opener versus Atlanta, per Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com.
