CINCINNATI -- The Pirates have been cleared to play after a COVID-19 scare this weekend and will return to action Tuesday at PNC Park against the Indians.
Their final two games of the Pirates-Reds series were postponed after a Reds player tested positive for the virus.
Both clubs conducted an additional round of tests and contact tracing on Saturday and Sunday, as per the league's protocols.
All members of the Pirates tested negative from that first batch of tests. Derek Shelton said he does not anticipate anyone being held back for additional tracing.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the rest of the Reds have also tested negative.
Both teams have a mutual off-day Monday, but they will not make up the two games lost then. Shelton said that the decision was made by the league, not the clubs.
"What goes into that decision happens a lot higher than me," Shelton said.
There are no set make-up dates yet.
The Pirates and Reds have two more series this season: Sept. 4-6 in Pittsburgh and Sept. 14-16 in Cincinnati. Both clubs share a mutual off-day Sept. 7.
These were the fourth and fifth games the Pirates were not able to play over the past week because of the virus. A second outbreak wave in the Cardinals' clubhouse postponed the three game series that was supposed to occur Monday through Wednesday in St. Louis.
Those games will be made up with a pair of double-headers later this season.
Shelton said his immediate reaction upon hearing the news of the Reds' positive test was concern.
"Regardless of if it's one of your own players or somebody else, you're concerned for that player and for their group," Shelton said. "And then after that, you just have to start to be aware of the contact that [he] possibly has had amongst your group."
The identity of the player on the Reds who tested positive is not yet known.
The Pirates held workouts at Great America Ball Park Sunday, and will travel back to Pittsburgh later tonight. Pitchers will throw Monday at PNC Park, but there will not be a full team workout.
For their upcoming series against the Indians, the Pirates will start JT Brubaker Tuesday, Steven Brault Wednesday and Trevor Williams Thursday.
Brault was scheduled to pitch Saturday. Sunday's projected starter, Derek Holland, will have his start moved back to later in the week.
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