Trea Turner was removed from Tuesday’s game after testing positive for COVID-19, the Washington Nationals announced, according to Dan Kolko of MASN Sports.
Turner exited the game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning. Initially, Turner’s exit drew speculation of both an injury and a trade.
After a one-out single, Turner slid into third base off a Juan Soto single. It was clear he was not comfortable after the slide. Then, he scored after Josh Bell hit a three-run homer to bring Turner and Soto home. Turner immediately walked to the clubhouse after scoring.
Nationals infield prospect Luis Garcia was pulled from a Triple-A game in nearby Lehigh Valley and will meet the Nationals in Philadelphia to eventually replace Turner on the active roster, according to Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post.
Turner’s name has surfaced in trade rumors over the past two days. This is after talks have hung up on a long-term contract extension, prompting the Nationals ownership to reportedly be unwilling to give Turner a new deal.
However, all of that is secondary to the star shortstop’s health. He’ll enter MLB protocols until he is cleared.
As the Nationals review their roster future ahead of Friday’s deadline, they’ll be without a main cog in their lineup. Turner is hitting .32/.369/.521 with 18 home runs and 49 RBIs.
