Didi Gregorius will wear a mask during games this season because of a chronic kidney condition, the Philadelphia Phillies shortstop told reporters earlier this week, as baseball prepares to start its season during the coronavirus pandemic.
The early returns show the mask won’t affect his play on the field as the Phillies prepare for the 2020 Major League Baseball season to start next week.
A masked Gregorius launched a three-run home run off Washington Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer during the teams’ exhibition game at Nationals Park in Washington on Saturday evening.
The left-handed Gregorius pulled the 89 mph offering from Scherzer into the right field stands in the empty stadium, and he capped off his trot around the bases with some socially distant celebrations.
Take a look:
The kidney condition means that Gregorius was considered “high-risk,” so he could have opted out of the 60-game season and still received full pay. The 30-year-old Gregorius said the condition was diagnosed while he was in the minor leagues.
“I still have it, and it will be there for life,” Gregorius said earlier this week, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I had a really good conversation with the doctors here, and they said I was one of the high-risk players and everything. So, we had a really good conversation. They ask me every day what they can do to make it better for me, so there has been really good communication. We are trying to go through the guidelines and trying to do everything we can do to stay safe. So, that’s why people see me walking around with a mask on and stuff. I am keeping myself safe, wearing a mask everywhere I go. So, I have to keep it on me all the time.”
MLB is not mandating that players wear masks on the field during games or practices this season. Players must arrive at the stadium in a mask and wear one in the clubhouse. They are not required to wear them in the dugout, though coaches, trainers and bat boys are. Umpires have the same options as players.
According to The Inquirer, Gregorius is one of a “handful” of Phillies who have played while wearing a mask.
“I can’t force a person to wear their mask, but it’s for everybody’s safety,” Gregorius said, according to The Inquirer. “I’d prefer for everybody to wear it. You have to get the right one, too, while you’re playing, so you can breathe normally, because if you are wearing a mask and you can’t breathe, it’s going to be hard for you to breathe through it. So, get the right one.”
Gregorius signed a one-year deal with the Phillies as a free agent after five seasons with the New York Yankees. From 2016 through 2018, Gregorius averaged 24 home runs per season, and he hit 16 in 82 games last season after returning from Tommy John surgery. A big fly off Scherzer, who finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting last season, is a good sign.
Right fielder Bryce Harper also homered off Scherzer on Saturday.
The Phillies are scheduled to open the 2020 season against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. After Saturday night’s exhibition at the Nationals, the Phillies have a home exhibition against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday and a road exhibition at the New York Yankees on Monday as part of “Summer Camp.”
Baseball’s attempt to begin its season amid the coronavirus pandemic came across another wrinkle Saturday when Canada denied the Toronto Blue Jays’ request for an exemption to host games at the Rogers Centre this summer. The Phillies were scheduled to play three games in Toronto from July 31 through Aug. 2. No announcement has been made about the Blue Jays’ plans.
Daniel Gallen covers the Philadelphia Eagles for PennLive. He can be reached at dgallen@pennlive.com. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Follow PennLive’s Philadelphia Eagles coverage on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
"Max" - Google News
July 19, 2020 at 05:55AM
https://ift.tt/39aYMLJ
Watch: Masked Didi Gregorius homers off Max Scherzer in Phillies-Nationals exhibition game - PennLive
"Max" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YlVjXi
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Watch: Masked Didi Gregorius homers off Max Scherzer in Phillies-Nationals exhibition game - PennLive"
Post a Comment