SF Giants Gameday podcast: Giants return to field, encounter new problems in San Diego

Simply returning to the field on Sunday at Petco Park was a victory for the San Francisco Giants. It was a big "win," to resume their season against the Padres, but it was perhaps the only bright spot from a harrowing weekend for the organization on and off the diamond. After a COVID-19 scare led to the postponement of games on Friday and Saturday, members of the Giants traveling party were understandably relieved when MLB cleared the club to play its Sunday. Left fielder Alex Dickerson learned of his positive test for the novel coronavirus moments before first pitch on Friday and detailed his incredibly challenging and emotionally exhausting weekend that culminated with his return to play for Sunday's doubleheader. Dickerson was immediately skeptical of the result and subsequently tested negative for COVID-19 on a half dozen occasions throughout the weekend. Under normal circumstances, the experience would be unsettling for anyone. Dickerson, who was required to isolate in his San Diego hotel room with his pregnant wife after learning of the positive result, lost sleep and explained the damaging effects that inaccurate reporting from USA Today had on his family. "A report from USA Today saying that 'the player who remains unidentified told several members of the Giants traveling party that he believed he was possibly infected by a family member or friend in San Diego,' that is completely false," Dickerson said Sunday. "Those kinds of statements lead to a steamrolling effect that caused my wife, who is 39 weeks pregnant, to deal with a lot of stuff she did not deserve to deal with. It was not easy." The Giants are grateful Dickerson and his wife are healthy, but they're suddenly concerned about non-COVID-related issues relating to other members of the team. Right-hander Trevor Gott was placed on the injured list Sunday with elbow inflammation and starter Kevin Gausman was scratched from his probable Game 2 start with elbow tightness. Manager Gabe Kapler said Gausman would get a MRI and it's unclear whether he'll be available to pitch this week for a Giants team that's suddenly below .500 and barely hanging onto the final National League playoff spot.