Angels’ games postponed because of Twins’ COVID issues

There will be no more baseball games at Angel Stadium this weekend.

Games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday between the Angels and Minnesota Twins were postponed after multiple positive COVID-19 tests in the Twins organization. Makeup dates for the games have yet to be determined.

In a statement, Major League Baseball said the games were postponed “to allow for continued testing and contact tracing involving members of the Twins organization.”

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said two players, including La Habra native Kyle Garlick, and one staff member had tested positive since the team arrived in Anaheim.

“None of this has gone to plan,” Baldelli said. “It can happen. This is the unfortunate reality that we live in.”

The first signs of trouble came after Friday night’s series opener between the teams, a 10-3 win for the Angels, when Baldelli announced an unspecified member of the Twins’ traveling party had tested positive for COVID-19.

Then, during his pregame video call with reporters Saturday afternoon, Baldelli announced that the Twins had more virus-related issues that affected their lineup. Shortly after that, the Twins learned of another positive, eventually prompting MLB to call off the game.

Less than two hours before Saturday’s scheduled 6:07 p.m. first pitch, the Twins — who were already without shortstop and former Angels player Andrelton Simmons for the trip after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday — cleared out their clubhouse and initiated a round of COVID-19 testing and contact tracing for the rest of the team.

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April 16, 2021

When they were scheduled to take batting practice, Twins players and staff members instead sat around on the field or leaned up against the dugout railing, checking cellphones and talking among themselves as a pregame music track blared from the speakers.

The postponement of Saturday’s game was announced at 4:46 p.m., right as the first early arriving fans began trickling into the stands. Sunday’s game was called a little more than an hour later.

The Angels will undergo previously scheduled COVID-19 testing Sunday and also will hold an optional workout for their players. Their next scheduled game is Monday night at home against the Texas Rangers.

Short hops

Shohei Ohtani (blister) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session Saturday without issue and, according to manager Joe Maddon, could be ready to start a game on the mound again as soon as Tuesday — though it’s unclear how this weekend’s postponements might impact the team’s pitching rotation schedule. Ohtani hasn’t pitched in a game since April 4.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (groin) is progressing but has not yet resumed baseball activities. Maddon said the team should have a better sense of Rendon’s timeline — he has been out since last Sunday — by the start of the coming week.