Scott Servais' Mariners have at least one positive COVID test, and the team's low vaccination rate doesn't help matters. Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Mariners facing COVID-19 concerns due to unvaccinated personnel?

One day after Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer told reporters that "optimism is waning" his club will hit the 85% vaccination threshold that allows MLB to loosen certain health and safety protocols, a different team encountered virus-related headaches. 

ESPN's Jeff Passan reports at least one member of the Seattle Mariners' traveling party tested positive for COVID-19, which is worrisome because the Mariners are allegedly "among the least-vaccinated teams in MLB" and have "a significant portion of players" who haven't received shots. 

As of Friday afternoon, the night game between Seattle and the San Diego Padres remained scheduled. 

MLB and the MLB Players Association are not forcing players, coaches or other personnel to receive vaccine shots to participate in the season. Earlier in the day, though, the league announced that 14 clubs have reached the 85% vaccination threshold. Additionally, 84.4% of all Tier 1 players, managers, coaches, trainers and other essential employees are partially or fully vaccinated. Of those individuals, 78.8% are considered fully vaccinated.

The Mariners head into Friday's action at 21-23 overall and third in the American League West standings, five games behind the first-place Houston Astros.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Celtics legend provides update after gruesome finger injury
Bulls hire former NBA head coach as top assistant
Chiefs move on from young running back
20-year MLB veteran working out, unsure about playing future
USA Hockey names HC for 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026 Olympics
Key Knicks forward ruled out for Game 7 vs. Pacers
Pacers' Pascal Siakam leads team to Game 6 win vs. Knicks
Watch: Matt Duchene's 2OT winner sends Stars to conference final
Scottie Scheffler shoots improbable 66 after warming up for PGA Championship in a jail cell
Report: Tua Tagovailoa away from Dolphins amid contract chatter
Nuggets star has worrying comment about latest injury
Paul Skenes makes incredible Wrigley Field history in second-career MLB start
Giants rookie CF to undergo season-ending labrum surgery
Yankees' Juan Soto reacts to Hal Steinbrenner contract talk
Late goal sends Panthers to Eastern Conference Finals
Ex-teammate of Shohei Ohtani placed bets with same illegal bookmaker as interpreter 
Former Rams first-round pick retires from NFL after 11 seasons
Insider provides major injury update on Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis
Watch: Bruins strike first in Game 6 with incredible backhand goal
Dodgers make series of moves involving notable players