Nationals’ Trea Turner tests positive for COVID-19

Nationals shortstop Trea Turner was pulled from Tuesday night’s game against the Phillies after it was confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19, per a club announcement.

With the Nationals seemingly out of contention at 45-54, Turner’s name has increasingly been mentioned in trade rumors over the last few days. The 28-year-old is a free agent after next season, and the Nationals may not see him as their shortstop of the future with 21-year-old Luís García getting closer to being major league ready. While the COVID diagnosis likely won’t seriously impact Turner’s trade value, it will force any team that may acquire him to deal with a little bit of delayed gratification, as almost certainly will not return before the July 31 trade deadline.

On the bright side, if a team that deals for him has a 40-man roster crunch, they may have a few extra days to figure things out, as Turner won’t count against the 40-man while he’s on the COVID IL.

Turner, a key member of the Nationals’ 2019 World Series-winning core, was an All-Star for the first time this year and has a .322/.369/.521 slash line with 18 homers and 21 steals in 96 games.