Yahoo Finance Report: Five members of Dodgers organization test positive for COVID-19, but none were in MLB bubble
Five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization plus a family member have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health via the Los Angeles Times.
The identities of the six people are unclear, though the Times reports that none of the tests came from employees inside MLB’s “bubble” at the World Series in Texas.
The positive tests come 10 days after the Dodgers’ World Series win and the COVID-19 controversy that erupted following the end of the series, in which Justin Turner joined his teammates on the field at Globe Life Field after testing positive for COVID-19 during Game 6.
Justin Turner avoided punishment for breaking COVID-19 quarantine
Major League Baseball announced Friday that it would not punish Turner for his conduct following the World Series, despite releasing a scathing statement criticizing his actions the day after the game.
Turner apologized for breaking quarantine and running onto the field in an accompanying statement. He claimed he had been under the impression that few people were left on the field when he went out to take a photograph and was under the impression that Dodgers officials did not object to his coming out. Turner conceded he should have waited before taking the field.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred essentially corroborated Turner’s account, saying MLB could have handled the situation more effectively. He said the league should have had a security staff member monitor Turner and Turner should have been promptly transported to the team hotel for isolation.
— Justin Turner (@redturn2) November 6, 2020
Whoever’s fault it was, the unfortunate reality was that Turner and his wife ended up on a field embracing multiple teammates and potentially exposing them to the virus. At one point, Turner took his mask off, and also ended up front and center in a team photo.
Dodgers who were in close contact with Turner were later ordered to quarantine by Los Angeles County.
However, it seems quite unlikely these new positive tests can actually be traced to Turner.
These positive tests probably weren’t caused by Justin Turner
As the Times reports, none of the six tests came from people who were in the MLB bubble (which some players have criticized for not actually being a bubble). Given that players, coaching staffs and their families were all in the bubble, that means the people who tested positive probably wouldn’t have been with Turner on the field.
Maybe there’s another way the virus could have spread through the organization beyond the field, but odds are we won’t be finding out.
More from Yahoo Sports:
