Royals manager Matt Quatraro tests positive for COVID-19. Club says others not exposed
The Kansas City Royals announced Wednesday that manager Matt Quatraro has tested positive for COVID-19.
Bench coach Paul Hoover, 46, will serve as interim manager while Quatraro is away from the team. Hoover got the news hours before Wednesday’s game.
“Q called probably around 11,” Hoover said, “just kind of gave me a heads up like, hey, a couple people tested positive he’s been around, so he just kind of prepped me and then he didn’t call me till about 1 o’clock to tell me.”
Hoover said he planned to talk with Quatraro after the team’s pre-game workout to go over last-minute-details.
Before his stint in Kansas City, Hoover was a coach in Tampa Bay, where Quatraro served as bench coach until Kansas City hired him.
The Royals are in the midst of a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals are 1-4, having split the first two games of the Toronto series after dropping all three games against the Minnesota Twins.
Following Quatraro’s first win, a 9-5 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday, the Royals celebrated by spraying him with champagne.
The Royals said there was no reason for concern that anyone else with the team had been exposed to COVID besides Quatraro.
MLB apparently no longer has a COVID protocol but is following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control. That would mean Quatraro could return in five days if he’s fever-free for 24 hours.
Hoover said he’s excited for the opportunity to manage the game.
“I’m happy that him and his family are doing well,” Hoover said. “But we have a good group around us that that will help us get through these these couple of days.”
This story was originally published April 5, 2023 at 4:08 PM.
