DETROIT -- Detroit Tigers players and staff members received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine in the clubhouse after Thursday’s season-opener, manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday.
“The majority of our team was vaccinated after the game,” Hinch said. “Some of our family members were vaccinated (Friday). With the off day it was perfect timing and obviously peace of mind for all of us now that we’ve been able to get a shot.”
Players aren’t required to get the vaccine, but MLB teams who reach an 85 percent vaccination threshold get to enjoy less stringent COVID protocols, which provides an incentive for anyone on the fence.
The Tigers will be at Comerica Park through Wednesday before opening a road trip with a series at Cleveland on April 9.
The club had hoped to take care of the vaccines before hitting the road, and Hinch made a point of thanking McLaren Health Care for arranging to do the shots in the clubhouse after the game.
“The way I look at it is the faster we can do, the better,” Hinch said. “We’re fortunate that McLaren worked with us timing-wise so we had a buffer day between the games and were able to do it right in our clubhouse. Ultimately the faster we get vaccinated, the safer we are and the more likely we are to be able to play continuously throughout our schedule.”
The opening series between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets was postponed after several Nationals players tested positive.
For the Tigers, pitcher Spencer Turnbull opened the season on the COVID list and pitching coach Chris Fetter is still away from the club after testing positive for COVID,
Hinch said Fetter is in constant communication with assistant pitching coach Juan Nieves and the rest of the staff.
“He’s doing very well,” Hinch said. “No timeline yet is put in place but I know he’s recovering nicely and he’s tuned in to the games. I called him on my drive home and let him know how much we missed him. We’ll be better and even more prepared when he gets back.”