Soto discusses coronavirus diagnosis: 'In my mind, it was a fake positive'

Star outfielder Juan Soto returned to the Washington Nationals on Saturday after missing the first leg of the MLB season following a positive COVID-19 test.

Soto isn't convinced he ever had the virus.

"For me in my mind, it was a fake positive," Soto said, according to Byron Kerr of MASN Sports. "I've been working on it. I've been tested a bunch of times negative. I've been following the rules, being in the right spot. And I think that's why I think it was fake positive. I've been really serious with this."

Soto was cleared by the team to resume workouts on Wednesday.

While the 21-year-old participated in scrimmages with the team on Saturday, he's unsure if he will be able to play in the Nationals' next scheduled game on Tuesday against the New York Mets, according to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic.

The club was slated to travel to Florida to play the Miami Marlins this weekend, but that series was postponed after a COVID-19 outbreak struck the Miami roster.

Without Soto in the lineup - or right-hander Stephen Strasburg in the rotation due to a hand issue - the defending World Series champions have been sluggish out of the gate. The Nationals are 3-4 through the beginning of the season.

Over his first two seasons, Soto has hit .287/.403/.535 with 56 home runs, 180 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in 266 games. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 and ninth in NL MVP voting in 2019.