Cubs' Jed Hoyer, David Ross test positive for COVID-19

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Cubs president Jed Hoyer and manager David Ross have tested positive for COVID-19 and are isolating from the rest of the team, the club announced Friday morning.

Both are fully vaccinated and said to be "feeling well." They are following CDC and MLB protocols: remaining quarantined for a minimum of 10 days, the club said.

Bench coach Andy Green will serve as interim manager during Ross' absence. 

"It stinks," Green said. "I love hanging out with Rossy everyday. He's a lot of fun. He makes the clubhouse a lively place. You hear him before you see him. Not everybody in the world is like that."

All of Ross' close contacts were tested Friday, Green said, and there are no positive tests within the Cubs clubhouse — especially significant for a team that has not reached MLB's herd-immunity threshold of 85-percent vaccination rate for players and other Tier 1 personnel.

"Our expectation is that everybody on our roster is ready to go and ready to play today," Green said.

Green said the Cubs are taking additional steps to mitigate any potential spread of COVID-19. In addition to testing Ross' close contacts, he said, the club will reduce time spent together in the clubhouse over the next week and prioritize mask-wearing in the clubhouse.

"I think the best message to send right now is Rossy doesn't feel anything at all," Green said. "He's completely fine. He's totally normal. That tends to be the case with those of us who are vaccinated and made that choice, that when we contract it, that part's unfortunate, but the fortunate part is he feels great.

"He's only frustrated, he can't be in the dugout every day, only frustrated he can't manage this team."

The news comes the same week the Cubs mandated vaccines for all non-playing personnel in baseball operations and at a time variants of the virus have led to spikes in breakthrough cases nationwide as well as surges in hospitalizations and deaths among unvaccinated Americans.

More than 10 teams in recent weeks have put players on the COVID-19 injured list because of positive tests or contract-tracing protocols, including the Red Sox, who are in the midst of an outbreak impacting several key players.

The Red Sox also are among seven MLB teams who did not reach 85-percent vaccination threshold required by the league to ease some safety protocols and restrictions.

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