The Texas Rangers are temporarily replacing broadcasters Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks following exposure to COVID-19.
According to a statement from the Rangers, Tier 3 credentialed individuals worked the Rangers games in the home radio booth over the last 10 days at Globe Life Field. One or more of those individuals received positive test results for COVID-19, and one of them was Hicks.
The Rangers say Nadel opted out of working this weekend out of an abundance of caution, even though he received a negative test.
Pre and postgame host Jared Sandler will take over the play-by-play duties for the San Francisco Giants series, and he will be accompanied by former Rangers David Murphy and Mark McLemore. Murphy will be in the booth on Friday while McLemore will be in the booth on Saturday and Sunday. Zach Wolchuk from the network’s flagship station will take over the pre and postgame duties.
According to the Rangers, the team began immediately to thoroughly sanitize and disinfect working areas where the Tier 3 credentialed individuals were. The team says they had no contact with Tier 1 or Tier 2 restricted areas or any other locations at Globe Life Field.
Anyone with direct contact with the positive individuals were sent home. No individuals are allowed back into the facility until they have received a negative COVID-19 test.
The Rangers will continue to enforce pandemic protocols at Globe Life Field, which include temperature checks, mandatory mask wearing, and regular sanitation and cleaning of facilities.