Los Angeles Angels left-hander Patrick Sandoval revealed Monday the reason why he made a delayed return to the team’s training camp: He was waiting to be cleared team after testing positive for coronavirus last month.
Sandoval received his positive diagnosis June 22, and he didn’t join his teammates until Thursday, after he had two negative coronavirus tests last week in a span of 24 hours.
The Angels had reassembled in early July ahead of the abbreviated season that will open July 23.
The 23-year old, who hails from nearby Mission Viejo, Calif., told reporters he believes he might have contracted coronavirus while playing a round of golf with a friend.
“Honestly, the first three days were a little rough. I had body aches, chills, a fever,” Sandoval said on a video conference call from the team’s alternate training site in Long Beach, Calif. “My back just had a bunch of pressure on it. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. It was pretty heavy for a few days. …
“I try to be as safe as possible, I limit contact with friends and family, but I still ended up getting it. No one really knows what’s going on with the virus. There are so many questions to be answered about it. One day you’re in contact with somebody and you get it. It kind of opened my eyes to that.”
Because he did not throw for two weeks, his odds of starting the season with the major league team are slim, according to manager Joe Maddon.
Sandoval made his major league debut last season, going 0-4 with a 5.03 ERA over 10 appearances (nine starts). He struck out 42 batters and walked 19 in 39 1/3 innings.
(Field Level Media)
