CLEVELAND (AP) — Guardians manager Terry Francona missed so much time over the past two seasons that even a four-game absence was difficult.
“This was forced retirement,” he said. “It wasn’t very fun.”
Francona and two of his coaches cleared health and safety protocols Wednesday and returned to the team after missing part of the past week after testing positive for COVID-19.
Francona was back for Wednesday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds along with bench coach DeMarlo Hale and assistant hitting coach Justin Toole. The trio tested positive with coronavirus last week while the Guardians were in Chicago and returned to Ohio by bus as the team continued its trip to Minnesota.
The Guardians have dealt with two separate outbreaks in recent weeks, and the latest rash of cases has heightened the team’s awareness.
“Up to this point I think we feel pretty fortunate,” Francona said. “It was starting to work it’s way through. Once it gets into the clubhouse, everybody’s breathing on each other. We live together.
“But I will say this, it’s not like it’s over and you can let your guard down. We’re going to have to mask up indoors just to take care. Because once it happens, it’s kind of too late.”
First baseman Josh Naylor remains the only Guardians player currently sidelined with the virus. However, Naylor is close to returning and was back in the clubhouse. Francona said he could be n the lineup as early as Friday, when the Guardians open a three-game series at home against Detroit.
The 63-year-old Francona, in his 10th season with Cleveland, dealt with some symptoms over the weekend but has felt better the past few days. He missed most of the last two seasons to handle some serious health issues.
With Francona back, pitching coach Carl Willis returns to his normal duties after serving as acting manager.
Sandy Alomar and Mike Sarbaugh, the team’s respective first- and third-base coaches, are still sidelined after testing positive.
Hitting coach Chris Valaika returned to the Guardians on Tuesday after missing three games.
The Guardians considered bringing up other coaches from the minors, but Francona said the team opted to shift healthy members of his staff into other roles to give the players some continuity.
“The biggest thing with Carl was, we’re trying to keep some sense of normalcy,” he said. “When you’re missing seven guys, that’s kind of hard. One, we know that the players will respect when Carl talks. We just wanted the games to be played like they’re supposed to.”
TAMPA BAY 6, DETROIT 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Isaac Paredes homered twice against his former teammates to double his career big league total, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 6-1 Wednesday on an afternon Eduardo Rodriguez left in the first inning and headed to the injured list.
Rodriguez (1-3) lasted just one out and averaged 91.9 mph for his fastball, 2.4 mph below his season average. He left the mound with Tigers head athletic trainer Doug Teter.
“His left side is bothersome,” manager AJ Hinch said. “It got worse during his warmup. He tried to go out there, and you could tell he was off. He’ll be out for a bit. Likely IL.”
Rodriguez allowed three runs, four hits and two walks, throwing just 11 of 23 pitches for strikes. After signing a $77 million, five-year contract, he has a 4.38 ERA.
Among the Tigers rotation at the start of the season, Casey Mize, Matt Manning and Tyler Alexander already have spent time on the IL.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry or us,” Hinch said. “We’ve got to play better. We’ve got to hit better. We’ve got to play more up-tempo. We’ve got to get in the strike zone. I could keep going for a while. We’ve got a lot more to do than piecing together the rotation.”
Drew Rasmussen (4-1) allowed four hits in five shutout innings with seven strikeouts and no walks, improving to 4-0 with a 1.01 ERA in his last five starts. Matt Wisler, Colin Poche and J.P. Feyereisen finished, with Feyereisen striking out two in the ninth during his 15th straight scoreless appearance.
Paredes, traded by the Tigers for Austin Meadows on April 5, hit solo home runs in the third off Rony García and in the eighth against Wily Peralta.
“After the first one, I heard guys in the bullpen saying some things,” Paredes said through a translator. “But after the second one, I don’t think they wanted to say anything.”
Paredes hit one home run each in 2020 and 2021 for the Tigers.
“Like I’ve said before, I want to beat them. I want to play against them,” he said. “But I’m just giving 100% of the skill that I have, and I’m just very fortunate to be here and have the opportunity to be able to play against them.”
Yandy Díaz had three of the 11 hits by the Rays, who won for the fifth time in seven games.
Spencer Torkelson homered in the seventh off Wisler and has a team-high four home runs for the Tigers, who have hit a major league-low 20 homers in 38 games.
Tampa Bay’s first five batters reached. Díaz, Wander Franco and Harold Ramírez loaded the bases with singles, Randy Arozarena walked on four pitches and Francisco Mejía hit a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.. After another walk, Rodriguez was replaced by García.
The three-run inning made it easy for Rasmussen.
“It really let me settle down and just work in the strike zone,” he said. “My goal today was to get back into my pitch count after the first (inning). Because we scored so much so early, it was easier to do that.”
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