Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe. Bogaerts was in the lineup against the Tampa Bay Rays, but was pulled in the second inning due to the test coming back positive.
The Red Sox are currently in the middle of a heated battle for the AL wild-card spot. Boston has the second spot 2.0 games behind the New York Yankees, but the Oakland Athletics are only 2.0 games back of that spot. The Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays are each 4.5 games out.
Bogaerts is a key piece in Boston’s lineup, hitting .298 with 20 home runs and 70 RBI on the season. It’s unclear whether Bogaerts is vaccinated but the Red Sox are not yet at the 85 percent threshold to relax protocols, according to Boston’s CBS affiliate. With Bogaerts slated to miss some time, it’ll be up to Boston’s other stars to make up for his lost production.
The Red Sox are +1100 to win the AL and +2200 to win the World Series according to DraftKings Sportsbook.