Nationals, Astros shut down workouts amid coronavirus testing delays

The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros have canceled their team workouts scheduled for Monday, citing the safety of their players as both clubs await results of COVID-19 testing from Friday.

Nationals president and general manager Mike Rizzo announced the reigning World Series champions' decision and called on Major League Baseball to "work quickly to resolve issues with their process and their lab."

Astros GM James Click also emphasized his team's priority of player health and safety, but he said the defending American League champions are "optimistic that this process will be ironed out and we'll be back on the field and ready to compete for a championship soon."

Rizzo said that all Nationals players and staff were tested Friday but that they have not received the results. He also said that without timely test results, it is "not safe for us to continue with Summer Camp" and suggested that the 2020 season is "at risk."

"Per MLB's protocol, all players and staff were tested for Covid-19 on Friday, July 3rd. Seventy-two hours later, we have yet to receive the results of those tests," Rizzo said in a statement Monday morning. "We cannot have our players and staff work at risk. Therefore, we have cancelled our team workout scheduled for this morning. We will not sacrifice the health and safety of our players, staff and their families. Without accurate and timely testing it is simply not safe for us to continue with Summer Camp. Major League Baseball needs to work quickly to resolve issues with their process and their lab. Otherwise, Summer Camp and the 2020 Season are at risk."

The Astros announced that they will make another announcement later Monday regarding their plans for Tuesday's workout.

"The safety of our players and staff remains our top priority at the Astros," Click said in his statement. "The team is still awaiting results from COVID-19 tests taken on Friday. Due to the delay in receiving these results, coupled with the contagious nature of the virus, we felt it was prudent to cancel today's workouts at Minute Maid Park and the University of Houston. Players and staff continue to participate fully in the screening and testing protocols while we await these results. Despite these delays over the holiday weekend, we're optimistic that this process will be ironed out and we'll be back on the field and ready to compete for a championship soon."

The Nationals announced Sunday that two players out of 60 tested had turned up positive for the coronavirus. But according to manager Dave Martinez, those two players took their tests last Wednesday, before reporting to Nationals Park for summer camp.

Washington reliever Sean Doolittle also spoke out Sunday, lamenting not having his COVID-19 test results back and imploring MLB to "clean this up."

Doolittle said he is still debating whether to play this season, weighing safety concerns and physical and mental health.