Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has been sidelined with a heart condition brought on by a COVID-19 infection.
Local sports radio station WEEI spoke with Rodriguez, who said he has myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart muscle that's caused by a virus, according to the Myocarditis Foundation.
"That's the most important part of your body," the 27-year-old Rodriguez said. "The first time I hear, I was kind of scared a little. Now that I know what it is, I'm still scared, but now I know exactly what it is. I just talk to my mom, talk to my wife, let them know what I have, and now I've got to take the rest."
He added, "When I feel the symptoms, back when I got COVID, I felt it all. I felt all the symptoms and everything. right now, I don't feel all the symptoms. I got surprised when I got that from my heart because I don't feel any symptoms from that, I didn't feel anything from my chest, nothing like that."
Myocarditis is known to occur in some COVID-19 patients, according to the results of a study published in May.
"The long-term impact of COVID-19 myocarditis, including the majority of mild cases, remains unknown," the study concluded.
It's not known when Rodriguez will return to the lineup.
Major League Baseball kicked off a shortened season last week. Fans are not allowed at the games, television commentators broadcast remotely, and many players and staff wear face coverings in the dugout and even on the field.
Four teams, however, are already sidelined because of a coronavirus outbreak.
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