Dodgers begin summer camp workouts

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers conducted their first official Summer Camp workout Friday at Dodger Stadium to prepare for the coronavirus-delayed start of the season.

"I missed this place,'' three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time all-star Clayton Kershaw said. "I love being here. Dodger Stadium is very special to me.

"If these three months taught me anything, it's that I really miss the game. I love baseball. I miss playing. I miss pitching. I miss the guys. So yeah, it's a great feeling to come back today.''

Like the other 29 Major League Baseball teams, the Dodgers opted to conduct their Summer Camp workouts at their home stadium instead of their spring training facility.

Players, other on-field personnel, medical personnel and other essential employees, including front-office officials, were required to complete the intake screening procedures, which included a temperature check with contactless thermometer administered by a representative of the club's medical staff; a body fluid sample (saliva or oral/nasal swab) for diagnostic/PCR testing and a venous blood collection or dried blood spot sample for serology/antibody testing.

Both the body fluid sample and venous blood collection or dried blood spot sample for serology/antibody testing were collected by a representative of
Irvine-based Comprehensive Drug Testing, which conducts collections for MLB's
Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and other MLB drug programs.

Players and other staff who are in Tiers 1 or 2 will be tested for the coronavirus every other day. Players will receive temperature and symptom checks twice per day. Antibody testing will be conducted once per month.

A covered individual who tests positive for the coronavirus will not be allowed to travel (except as authorized by club medical staff and the Joint Committee), access any team facility or have direct contact with any other covered individual or other club staff (other than medical staff) unless and until each of the following occurs:

-- the individual tests negative on two separate confirmatory tests performed by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory taken at least 24 hours apart;

-- the individual has been not feverish for at least 72 hours without the use of any fever suppressant, and any respiratory symptoms have improved, as confirmed and documented by his or her treating physician or club medical
staff;
-- the individual completes at least one antibody test following the
positive diagnosis;

-- at the discretion of the team physician, a cardiac evaluation is conducted in accordance with published standards;

-- the individual's team physician, any treating physician caring for the covered individual, and the Joint Committee all conclude that the individual no longer presents a risk of infection to others and is healthy enough to return to his or her usual professional responsibilities, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

-- any local regulations or requirements are satisfied.

Modifications for the 2020 season intended to reduce the spread of the coronavirus include prohibiting spitting at all times in team facilities.

The 2020 Major League Baseball season -- shortened to 60 games instead
of the usual 162 -- is scheduled to begin on July 23 and end on September
27. The postseason is scheduled to begin on September 29.