Two players infected with COVID-19

BOSTON — Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor have both tested positive for the coronavirus.

Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke confirmed the results during his Saturday media briefing at Fenway Park.

Hernandez remains at home and will require a pair of negative tests before reporting to Boston. Taylor tested positive during the club’s intake process this week and is being isolated in a nearby hotel room. [...]

BOSTON — Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor have both tested positive for the coronavirus.

Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke confirmed the results during his Saturday media briefing at Fenway Park.

Hernandez remains at home and will require a pair of negative tests before reporting to Boston. Taylor tested positive during the club’s intake process this week and is being isolated in a nearby hotel room.

"Any time anybody is positive now it impacts what happens at the start of the season just because of the short training camp that we have," Roenicke said. "We’ll see how it goes."

Major League Baseball announced 31 players and seven team staff members had tested positive in a Friday release. The Red Sox were one of 19 teams that had multiple positive tests. Left-handed starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez remains at home after being exposed to someone who exhibited coronavirus symptoms, and he’s still awaiting his test results.

"Some guys are in their rooms and they’ll throw balls up against a mattress or try to do anything to keep their arms activated," Roenicke said. "We’ll see what we can do."

Roenicke confirmed Boston is still awaiting test results from one other player in its Summer Camp pool.

The Red Sox went through their second full team workout under bright sunshine on Saturday, with Nathan Eovaldi and Josh Osich throwing live batting practice to hitters.

"I haven’t even seen Darwinzon or (Taylor)," Eovaldi said. "If they quarantine right now, hopefully they’ll be able to recover again."

Boston meandered to an 84-78 finish last season, missing the playoffs, but Hernandez and Taylor were certainly bright spots as rookies out of the bullpen. Hernandez struck out 57 in just 30 1/3 innings, prompting a comparison to Brewers closer Josh Hader from veteran right-hander Jhoulys Chacin. Taylor fanned 62 and posted a 3.04 earned-run average in 47 1/3 innings after a May 2018 trade from the Diamondbacks for infielder Deven Marrero.

"I think Josh is a little further along," Roenicke said. "Hopefully, he’ll start getting some negative tests back pretty soon and we’ll go from there."

The Red Sox have made every attempt to keep players separated and installed hand sanitizing stations throughout the ballpark. Eovaldi felt comfortable enough with the conditions to bring his wife Rebekah and their two children with him to Boston for the 60-game season.

"We’re up in the suites," Eovaldi said. "Down on the field everyone is wearing their masks. We have hand sanitizer everywhere.

"Just trying to do my part, keep my hands clean and my mouth covered, and go out there to play."

More regulars arrive

The Red Sox fielded a much more complete lineup on the second day of Summer Camp.

Several noteworthy names made their first appearance at Fenway Park, including the projected heart of the batting order. J.D. Martinez was among those taking multiple rounds of batting practice before the clock struck noon.

Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, Jose Peraza and Mitch Moreland all participated in afternoon infield drills. Martinez, Devers and Bogaerts were on the same charter flight from Miami that arrived earlier this week.

Roenicke said several players worked out at Boston College on Saturday. The Red Sox sent two infielders, two outfielders and multiple pitchers — all unnamed — to the Harrington Athletic Complex in Brighton. Pawtucket Red Sox manager Billy McMillon was supervising that session while the regulars got to work in the Back Bay.

"We’ve got a big group of pitchers going over tomorrow," Roenicke said. "I think we’re scheduled for 18 pitchers to go over to BC tomorrow. We’re deciding what to do with the regulars."

Roenicke said as many as 11 pitchers would throw live batting practice at Fenway on Monday.

Adding some depth

The Red Sox have signed right-handed pitcher Caleb Simpson, cutting the number of open spots in their Summer Camp player pool to 11.

Simpson is a 28-year-old right-hander who was drafted by the Giants in 2013 and spent his first six professional seasons with the club. He was released by San Francisco during the offseason and again by the Cubs in May.

Simpson reached Double-A with the Giants in 2018 and 2019. He holds a career 3.41 earned-run average through 121 minor-league appearances, all of which have come out of the bullpen.

Boston now has 25 pitchers in its pool, including four who are currently off the 40-man roster. Simpson joins fellow right-handers Domingo Tapia and Robinson Leyer and left-hander Brian Johnson among that group.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @BillKoch25