#Nationals’ Juan Soto tests positive for coronavirus before Opening Day vs. Yankees

The Nationals will be without star Juan Soto as they open the 2020 season. He tested positive for the coronavirus and will miss the team’s Opening Day game Thursday night against the Yankees.

Soto, still just 21, was not included in the team’s Opening Day 30-man roster.

Despite previously testing negative, Soto was quarantined for 14 days during summer camp because he was in contact with someone who tested positive. Now, he’ll miss even more time. He was last tested Tuesday, and that result came back Thursday morning.

Nationals GM Mike Rizzo says Soto is asymptomatic.

“I think you have to take a business-as-usual type of approach to it, just like any other injury during the season,” Rizzo told reporters.

Soto played an integral part of the Nationals’ World Series title last year, recording 34 homers, 110 RBIs and a .949 OPS in the regular season. That title run would’ve likely been dead if it weren’t for Soto’s game-tying, two-run single off Josh Hader in the eighth inning of the Wild Card game against the Brewers.

In seven postseason games last year, Soto hit three homers and drove in seven runs, good for a .333 batting average and 1.178 OPS.

In order to rejoin his teammates, Soto will need to clear two negative tests.