Giants Outfielder Alex Dickerson Rips USA Today Report About COVID Result
San Francisco Giants outfielder Alex Dickerson ripped a report in USA Today that said he broke protocol and 'was possibly infected by a family member or friend in San Diego'' that caused two games to be postponed this weekend.
Dickerson said the report was "completely false.'' The 30-year-old outfielder got a false positive reading on a COVID-19 test that forced the postponement of games on Friday and Saturday night. He was tested again several times this weekend and all tests came back negative.
He talked to the media prior to Sunday's doubleheader, and he was very emotional over how the false report hurt his family. He said that accusation that he visited people in San Diego other than his wife wasn't true.
Here's what he had to say:
"I want to start off by thanking both front offices and medical staffs. It means a lot. In light of everything that happened, I appreciate everything you guys do on the media side and all the work you put in. I couldn't get back to a lot of people, I didn't have a lot of the information. I respect a lot the hard work you guys do to get to the positions that you have and be a voice that is more respected than your average person sending stuff out on social media off-hand. I really respect the work that is done.
"I do want to bring to light the fact that false reporting did happen in my situation and had extremely negative affects on me and my family. Specifically, a report from USA Today saying that 'a 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' is completely false, and those kind of statements lead to a steamrolling effect that caused my wife, who is 39 weeks pregnant, to deal with a lot of stuff that she did not deserve to deal with.
"It was not easy (he said as he choked up). Because of a lot of this, especially when you're dealing with a pregnancy and COVID-19, it's not a good thing. To make the assumption that I came in and went and broke protocol and saw family and friends when I am only permitted to see my wife and she was the only person I saw and who was quarantined and was on bed rest. It caused a lot of problems and a lot of hate that comes toward you, and it was kind of unwarranted.
"But I do respect a vast, vast majority that reported on what they knew and was able to go forward with the information that they could absolutely confirm, and I appreciate that. ''
Adding to Dickerson's emotional fatigue all weekend was figuring out how to get his wife, Jennifer, to a hospital on Friday night to be tested again. The couple is expecting a baby boy this week. She tested negative as well.
“It was something you can’t really prepare for and you deal with it. It was very stressful. I didn’t sleep much. That’s the year we’re having,” Dickerson said. “A lot of people have it very tough right now. It’s where you find out how to get through things.”
Dickerson grew up in San Diego and also played with the Padres but he insists he didn't see anyone on this road trip. His follow-ups included two visits to the University of California San Diego for additional testing.
Dickerson played college ball at Indiana from 2009 to 2011. He made his major-league debut in 2015 and has spent the past two seasons with the Giants after a trade in June of 2019.
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