Olympics-Baseball-Mexico to replace two pitchers after positive COVID-19 tests -coach

Mexico's Olympic baseball team will be without former Major League Baseball pitchers Hector Velazquez and Sammy Solis for the Tokyo Games after they tested positive for COVID-19, manager Benjamin Gil told Reuters on Friday. The Mexico Olympic Committee had announced on Tuesday that the entire team were in a pre-departure quarantine awaiting further results after the two positives.

Mexico's Olympic baseball team will be without former Major League Baseball pitchers Hector Velazquez and Sammy Solis for the Tokyo Games after they tested positive for COVID-19, manager Benjamin Gil told Reuters on Friday.

The Mexico Olympic Committee had announced on Tuesday that the entire team were in a pre-departure quarantine awaiting further results after the two positives. Gil said the rest of the team arrived in Tokyo on Friday "COVID-free", but will need two new pitchers. Officials are waiting on testing and results before naming the replacements, he said.

Mexico is making its Olympics baseball debut in a six-team tournament that begins next week, and Gil told Reuters a few weeks ago that he expected pitching to be a strength for his squad. A number of athletes in other sports have tested positive in recent days, forcing them to drop out of the Games before their competitions begin.