MLB Disputes Hunter Renfroe’s Account of COVID-19 Testing

The outfielder made a blockbuster allegation this week

Hunter Renfroe
Hunter Renfroe of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a single during the seventh inning of a game against the Cleveland Indians on September 5, 2021 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.
Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

Did the Boston Red Sox stop testing for COVID-19 on the instructions of Major League Baseball? According to Red Sox outfielder Hunter Renfroe, the answer is yes. In an interview with WEEI, Renfroe said that the league had told the team to “stop testing and just treat the symptoms.” It’s a blockbuster claim, and one that could have a significant impact on the sport.

That’s assuming Renfroe’s comments were accurate. According to Major League Baseball, however, the outfielder was incorrect. In a comment made to The Boston Globe, a league spokesperson said that Renfroe was “completely wrong and inaccurate.” Renfroe’s team has also contradicted the player. “We have been following MLB’s COVID-19 protocols all season long,” the Red Sox said via a statement.

A Major League Baseball official told Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe that the league “has conducted 1,884 tests on behalf of Red Sox personnel since August 26.”

That doesn’t mean that the team hasn’t continued to have issues with players testing positive for COVID-19. Pitcher Chris Sale is the latest to do so; as a result, he will miss his scheduled start on Sunday. That said, the team is still in the midst of a solid season, with the team currently first in the running for a wild card playoff spot. It’s been a turbulent season to date, and the season is far from over.

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