Oakland's Luzardo tests positive for COVID-19
Top A's prospect Jesus Luzardo has tested positive for COVID-19 and will need to self-isolate for at least 14 days, per Major League Baseball protocol. Ranked as MLB.com's No. 12 overall prospect, Luzardo was already on the A's 40-man roster and expected to boost a solid big league rotation, along
Top A's prospect Jesus Luzardo has tested positive for COVID-19 and will need to self-isolate for at least 14 days, per Major League Baseball protocol.
Ranked as MLB.com's No. 12 overall prospect, Luzardo was already on the A's 40-man roster and expected to boost a solid big league rotation, along with the club's third-ranked prospect, A.J. Puk. The 22-year-old battled back from two separate shoulder injuries in 2019 before making his highly anticipated Major League debut in September. Over 12 Major League innings, Luzardo posted a 1.50 ERA with a 12.0 K/9 ratio.
Luzardo can not report to camp until after his self-isolation is complete. He also will have to test negative for the virus twice over a span of at least 24 hours before he is cleared. The left-hander said Tuesday he was "feeling good" and he hopes to be back with the team soon.
The game's second-ranked lefty pitching prospect had been training with teammate Mike Fiers in Florida while baseball was on hold. Fiers tested negative and was able to join the team Tuesday.
A third-round pick by the Nationals in 2016, Luzardo was traded to Oakland in 2017. Since then, he's established himself as an important part of the future of the A's rotation and one of the best up-and-coming young arms in baseball. He was named an Organization All-Star, Futures Game selection and both a midseason and postseason All-Star in 2018.
Luzardo dazzled in the Cactus League earlier this spring, striking out 13 batters while yielding just one earned run and one walk through 8 1/3 innings.
Late Tuesday night, MLB.com D-backs beat reporter Steve Gilbert reported that