Before wrapping up their three-game weekend series against the Orioles at Fenway Park on Sunday, the Red Sox placed left-handed reliever Josh Taylor on the COVID-19 related injured list.
In a corresponding move, catcher Connor Wong was recalled from Triple-A Worcester, the club announced earlier Sunday afternoon.
Taylor has proven to be one of the more consistent relievers out of the Boston bullpen this season, posting a 3.23 ERA and 2.93 FIP to go along with 51 strikeouts and 20 walks over 48 appearances spanning 39 total innings of work.
At the moment, it’s unclear if the 28-year-old has tested positive for COVID-19 or if he is just experiencing COVID-like symptoms, as has been the case with several Red Sox players (Matt Barnes, Jarren Duran, J.D. Martinez) within the last few weeks.
Taylor did, however, test positive for the virus at the onset of summer camp last year and — in addition to being forced to quarantine at a Boston hotel — opened the truncated 2020 campaign on the COVID-related IL. He did not make his season debut until August 17 as a result of all that.
If the lefty does indeed test negative for COVID-19, he could be activated as soon as Tuesday ahead of an important doubleheader against the Yankees in the Bronx.
If Taylor’s PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test comes back positive, though, he would be placed into a mandatory 10-day quarantine, which would result in the Red Sox triggering additional virus-related protocols.
Wong, meanwhile, returns to the Sox just one day after he was sent down to Worcester at the same time fellow catcher Christian Vazquez was activated from the bereavement list.
In six games spanning four separate stints with Boston, the 25-year-old rookie has gone 4-for-13 (.308) with one double, one triple, one RBI, three runs scored, one walk, and seven strikeouts over 14 total plate appearances.
It’s likely Wong will be available off the bench for the Red Sox in Sunday’s series finale against the Orioles.
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