Slow MLB Covid-19 test results push Nationals, A’s, Astros to cancel workouts

UPDATE 10:50 a.m.: The Houston Astros have canceled their Monday workouts due to not getting their own Friday results back.

On Sunday, the Oakland A’s decided to cancel workouts due to slow results from Covid-19 tests. And today, the Washington Nationals went ahead and canceled their workouts for the same reason, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The National’s GM, Mike Rizzo released a statement where he didn’t mince words about the need for timely and accurate testing:

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 Oakland Athletics will likely cancel workouts again on Monday with delays to testing continuing, per San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser. This rocky start to the testing isn’t exactly shocking, as there were bound to be hiccups to start. The trouble is, there is also little room for error, as the 60-game timeline is already tight.

Oakland A’s general manager David Forst was “livid” according to Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic, as the A’s fall behind in their second spring training. According to the team, blame for the delay is in part due to the Fourth of July holiday, but that Major League Baseball is the side that dropped the ball in causing the delay.

As the A’s wait for their test results, it appears the tests are hopefully arriving at the lab Monday, which is in Utah. There is a chance the team can get results back as soon as Monday according to Ghiroli.

The MLB may get this situation cleared up and on track moving forward, but there is no doubt that testing at this level is going to be a monumental undertaking for the league.