As the Los Angeles Dodgers were in the midst of second-to-last week of the regular season, the team announced on Sept. 22 that broadcaster Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser would not be in the SportsNet LA booth for the immediate future.
It was in response to Davis testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), and Hershiser also needing to go into quarantine due to being a close contact. “We wish them both well and look forward to safely welcoming them back to the Dodger broadcast,” the team said in a statement at the time.
They added Davis was fully vaccinated. He acknowledged the first few days were difficult due to experiencing symptoms, but Davis has since been on the mend and is slated to return to the broadcast booth on Saturday for the remaining two games of the Milwaukee Brewers series.
Although he will be back at Dodger Stadium, the wait for Hershiser will continue. He made another remote appearance during SportsNet LA’s pregame coverage prior to the series finale against the San Diego Padres, and it was revealed Hershiser tested positive this past Monday.
He has been asymptomatic and should that remain the case, Hershiser would be cleared for a return on Friday, Oct. 8, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols.
But even if the former Cy Young Award winner remains in good health, there is no guarantee of the Dodgers having a game late next week.
L.A. enters play Friday still trailing the San Francisco Giants by two games in the National League West, and needing the San Diego Padres to win their weekend series at Oracle Park. Otherwise the Dodgers will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card Game on Wednesday, Oct. 6.
Should that be the Dodgers’ path and they defeat the Cardinals, Hershiser would then presumably be able to reunite with Davis on the call for Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Giants.
With Davis and Hershiser unavailable, Tim Neverett has assumed play-by-play duties for SportsNet LA and been accompanied by a rotation of analysts. Former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti was first to do so, and Rick Monday and Nomar Garciaparra have been among those to take their turns since.
Hershiser previously tested positive
This now marks a second known time in which Hershiser has tested positive for COVID-19. The first was in January, which he emotionally revealed during a broadcast to be the reason for not attending an intimate Celebration of Life ceremony at Dodger Stadium for Tommy Lasorda.
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