SEATTLE — Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais and third base coach Manny Acta have both tested positive for COVID-19 and will be away from the team beginning with Wednesday’s game against the Texas Rangers.
First base coach Kristopher Negrón will serve as the acting manager. Negrón managed Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate last season before joining the major league staff this year.
Seattle added Tacoma coach Zach Vincej, hitting coordinator C.J. Gillman and special assignment coordinator Dan Wilson to the bench as assistants for Wednesday’s game.
Negrón said Servais was in good spirits and participated in morning meetings via video conference, and that decisions during the game will be a collaborative effort.
“We’ve been in meetings all morning talking with (Servais) talking with Manny, talking with everybody just kind of game planning how we’re going to draw up the whole day,” Negrón said. “It’s been fun so far and we’ve been in constant communication with the entire group.”
Seattle is experiencing a growing number of COVID-19 cases impacting the franchise. Seattle also placed right-hander Paul Sewald COVID-19 injured list on Wednesday, joining outfielder Mitch Haniger and catcher/designated hitter Luis Torrens. The contract of right-hander Penn Murfree was selected from Triple-A Tacoma to take Sewald’s roster spot.
Along with the players, Servais said Tuesday that several other staff members had tested positive in recent days. Servais wore a mask during his pregame media availability on Tuesday when announcing Torrens’ positive test.
“I want to try and take all precautions. With the protocols MLB has in place, we don’t want to start losing more players,” Servais said Tuesday.
Negrón said the experience managing last year at Triple-A will be of help over the next few days. His final season in the majors came in 2019, meaning he played with a few of the players on Seattle’s roster that he’ll manage.
“Granted it was Triple-A but just having just that little bit of background that year definitely makes me feel a lot more comfortable since this situation came up,” Negrón said.
