Ballplayer's COVID Lesson: Keep Quiet if You Have Symptoms

Mets pitcher went on the list after a positive test but insists, 'I was never sick'
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 7, 2022 7:10 PM CDT
Player Says He May Keep Quiet Next Time About COVID Symptoms
New York Mets starting pitcher Chris Bassitt looks out from the dugout after pitching against the Miami Marlins on June 25 in Miami.   (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

New York Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt said Thursday that he "probably won't" inform team and Major League Baseball officials if he feels COVID-19 symptoms in the future. MLB should “just stop testing,” he said, the AP reports. Bassitt was placed on the COVID-19 list on July 1 after complaining about sluggishness to team officials. The right-hander missed his scheduled start against Texas last Friday and only rejoined the team Thursday. "I probably won't (again)," Bassitt said before the Mets' series opener against the Miami Marlins. There’s no way. There's no reason."

Bassitt claimed he was asymptomatic. "Stop acting like COVID is far worse than a lot of other things," he said. "I was never sick." He noted that under MLB's protocols, a positive test could mean ongoing testing that keeps an asymptomatic player out for an extended period. "I guess the answer is I never should have said anything," he said. Bassitt added that he tested himself after feeling sluggish because he has a daughter. The test was positive. "So I basically had the choice to tell them so I can protect my teammates or not say anything and (put) my teammates at risk," he said. "I woke up perfectly fine the next day. Have not had a symptom since," he said. He's scheduled to start the Mets' game Friday.

(More COVID-19 stories.)

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