Zach Plesac sent home by Indians for violating MLB safety rules

Major League Baseball teams are clearly cracking down on violations of the league’s health and safety protocols, with the Cleveland Indians enforcing the strictest punishment yet.

According to Ken Rosenthal and Zack Meisel of The Athletic, the Indians sent pitcher Zach Plesac home to Cleveland after he went out with friends Saturday night in Chicago while the team was in town to play the White Sox. Plesac was immediately isolated from the rest of the team and traveling party, quarantined for 72 hours, and is being tested daily for COVID-19.

Plesac’s decision to go out reportedly upset both teammates and club officials, who are trying very hard to avoid any behavior that may lead to any team-wide viral outbreak similar to those endured by the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals. The frustration is not surprising if recent comments made by Philadelphia’s Andrew McCutchen are indicative of how most MLB players are treating the situation.

MLB stiffened its protocols in light of the Marlins’ outbreak, with teams required to retain a compliance officer on road trips. This is the first example of a player facing significant disciplinary consequences for breaking those protocols that we’ve seen publicly.