Junior Guerra returns to D-backs after testing positive for coronavirus

Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Junior Guerra returned to the team on Wednesday after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Guerra said Wednesday that his first test was negative but his second came back positive roughly 10 days ago.

He is one of five D-backs players to have tested positive for COVID-19, as manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday a fifth unidentified player on the D-backs has tested positive. Lovullo said it is a player on the 40-man roster.

Guerra had not yet participated in the team’s summer camp that began on July 3. MLB had all teams testing on July 1 before summer camps got underway.

In order for a player to return, they must pass two tests that are at least 24 hours apart. Guerra is the first of the four to come back, and the first known MLB player to do so. He tested negative on Friday and then again on Tuesday.

The right-hander and fellow reliever Silvino Bracho were both revealed to have tested positive on Sunday by Lovullo. He said at the time that the duo was asymptomatic.

Right fielder Kole Calhoun also has the virus, as does first baseman Seth Beer. Calhoun is asymptomatic and improving while Beer’s status was not known by Lovullo as of Tuesday.

Left fielder David Peralta was sick at the time of that testing on July 1 so he underwent four different negative COVID-19 tests that came back negative before joining the team on Monday.

Guerra was signed by the Diamondbacks this past offseason. After entering the league as a starter, he moved to a full-time bullpen role last year with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 72 appearances, Guerra has a 3.55 ERA and 77 strikeouts.

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