Some VERY encouraging news coming from MLB -- the league says more than 10,500 coronavirus tests were completed in the past week ... and only 6 came back positive.
The league announced the update on Friday ... just one week before Opening Day is set to kick off on July 23.
Of the 6 positives, 5 were players and 1 was a team staffer ... and the league also pointed out a 5-day period where ZERO new cases were reported.
The results are an improvement from a week prior ... when the league announced 12 positive cases.
It's a big confidence boost with the 60-game season approaching ... and after big stars like Freddie Freeman, Charlie Blackmon and Aroldis Chapman tested positive.
As we previously reported ... Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier says he intends on wearing a mask on the diamond ... and more players are testing out the possibility during practices.
Great news ... Atlanta Braves superstar Freddie Freeman is finally "feeling great" -- this just 1 week after his wife said he was in rough shape after contracting coronavirus.
Last Friday, Chelsea Freeman said her 30-year-old hubby was hit "like a ton of bricks" by COVID-19 ... suffering from fever, headaches, chills and body aches.
In her post, Chelsea sounded VERY concerned for the MLB superstar ... writing, "He is someone who rarely gets sick."
But, Chelsea provided an encouraging update Thursday ... saying Freddie is now "feeling great!"
"Our whole family is healthy," she said. "Thank God!"
Freddie has yet to rejoin the Braves for summer camp, and even though it seems unlikely at the moment he'll be a part of the team for Opening Day later this month -- manager Brian Snitker has said he's still hopeful.
Freddie is one of the best players in the entire sport ... he's a four-time All-Star with a career .293 batting average.
The Braves, meanwhile, are expected to make a serious run at the World Series with Freddie in their lineup this season.
"Big Brother" is on its way back -- 'rona be damned -- but it's not just the all-star cast that will be quarantining together to make it happen ... the crew must too.
Sources close to production of season 22 tell TMZ ... the people working on the popular reality competition will be taking a page out of the NBA's book, and staying in a bubble.
We're told the crew members will reside in RVs by the set -- otherwise known as the 'Big Brother' house -- but will be swapped out monthly.
Our sources say the system will work like this -- one month on for the crew, then 2 weeks off followed by 2 weeks in quarantine ... then back on. A typical 'BB' season lasts around 3 months.
Those familiar with the show know ... although the 'Big Brother' Houseguests don't directly interact with the people running the show ... the crew must still enter the house to haul in supplies, make repairs, and set up the competitions.
So, it's just as important for the cast to remain safe and take every COVID-19 precaution as the cast.
As we first told you ... CBS is busting out some of its All-Star Houseguests from seasons past for the upcoming season, which is tentatively scheduled to begin shooting later this summer after already being delayed.
Julie Chen Moonves is set to return as host. We don't know if she's part of the bubble.
Here's a shocking and downright disturbing video of maskless citizens jam-packing a county meeting in Utah ... despite the fact COVID-19 is spreading out of control there.
Before the Utah County Commission Chairman Tanner Ainge could even begin, he commented on the utter lack of coronavirus safety -- NO mask wearing -- he was witnessing in the room, saying ... "This is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing."
You gotta see the room's reaction when he dared to point out there was also NO physical distancing. The situation forced Ainge to pull the plug on the meeting altogether ... which set off the crowd even more.
Utah County -- which has a population of roughly 636,000 -- currently has 5,794 residents who've tested positive for coronavirus ... one of the highest infection rates in the country.
The state also reported its highest number of COVID-related deaths Tuesday.
As a result, Utah is requiring school kids to wear masks upon returning to classrooms, and the meeting was intended to address residents who want masks to be optional. It never got that far. Not even close.
Damian Lillardturned the big 3-0 on Wednesday -- and celebrated with a big party inside the NBA bubble in Orlando!
The video is pretty fun ... a bunch of Dame's Portland Trail Blazers teammates, coaches and staff are crowded into a dining room to sing "Happy Birthday" to the superstar.
There was cake, champagne, balloons ... good times had by all!
Then, when it came time for a speech -- Dame reminded everyone why they're in Orlando ... TO WIN, BABY!
"My only ask as a birthday gift is let's not waste our f**king time out here!"
Dame then blew out the candles -- and we're pretty sure we know what he wished for.
By the way, no masks or PPE in the clip ... likely because the players feel safe due to the protocols in place -- which includes constant testing.
Still, probably not a good idea to blow all over the cake that people are going to eat, right!?
Of course, Portland is currently a 9th seed and 3.5 games out of the playoff hunt ... but they have "regular season" games left in the bubble to claw their way into the post-season.
A lot of people believe they could be EXTREMELY dangerous if they can get into the playoffs ... Dame included.
For Lil Xan, quarantine is a blessing in disguise ... he tells us he's using the downtime to channel his efforts into staying sober and being extra creative in the studio.
The rapper tells TMZ things are looking up after his pandemic-induced panic attack sent him to a hospital ... he says coronavirus quarantine helped him get clean, clearing his head so he can make his best music yet.
Lil Xan tells us it's a lot easier to sober up in quarantine because there are fewer temptations -- nowhere to go, no shows to perform and no excuses to be around situations that could lead to another relapse.
Xan says he's gone cold turkey on prescription pills and feels alive for the first time in a while ... adding he's determined to make the most of what he calls a second chance.
Lil Xan tells us he's used quarantine to rework his music and his life ... he says he wants to be a role model for young people struggling with sobriety, and is even down to be a mentor.
The way Xan sees it ... he tried to spread positive messages to kids in the past, but it didn't really work because he wasn't living a sober life himself.
Lil Xan, who says he was his own worst enemy and was slipping into a really dark area before quarantine, tells us he was being told to go back to rehab during quarantine, but ultimately decided against it and went cold turkey, staying in bed for weeks on end.
Bottom line for Xan ... the past few months have been extremely hard, but he's over the hump and he's turning things around.
More bad news ... the 2021 Rose Parade is officially OFF -- the first time the event has been canceled since World War II.
But, there's still hope the Rose Bowl football game will take place ... even if there are no fans allowed.
Tournament of Roses Chief Executive David Eads made the announcement Wednesday morning -- saying it's just too dangerous to host the parade with the looming COVID pandemic.
“For 132 years, the Tournament of Roses has been able to bring the hope and joy of the new year to people around the world,” Eads told the L.A. Times.
"We’re really disappointed that we’re not going to be able to do that again this year, but the health and well-being of all our participants and guests is our top priority."
Eads says he was initially hopeful the January 1st tradition would continue ... but after meeting with health officials, it was clear the risk was just too high.
Rose Parade organizers met with officials at the USC Keck School of Medicine and were told the event "would inevitably lead to large numbers of people being in close proximity, creating a high risk for viral spread," according to the L.A. Times.
The float-building is also way behind schedule because of the stay at home orders keeping many of the volunteers from helping out.
As for the Rose Bowl football game -- the Granddaddy of them All -- there's still hope.
Eads told the L.A. Times the game is still on the schedule ..."whether it is with a socially distanced audience or an empty stadium."
Hundreds of people ignored social distancing guidelines and partied their asses off at Devin White's "Trail Ride" charity event over the weekend ... and video of the scene is alarming.
The Tampa Bay Bucs linebacker -- despite surging COVID-19 cases in Louisiana -- decided to press forward with his 2nd annual "Trail Ride" event in Cotton Valley on Saturday.
The problem? Hundreds -- if not thousands -- of people attended ... and even though White said he'd urge hand-washing, mask-wearing and social distancing, it's clear those precautions weren't followed seriously throughout the evening.
Check out footage from the event ... partygoers can be seen mask-less, dancing amid a sea of people. At one point, you can even see 22-year-old White partying without a mask.
Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Video.
We reached out to Louisiana State Police, as well as the Webster Parish Sheriff's Office, for comment on the event ... but so far no word back yet.
But, reps for both departments had told us last week officers would be at or near the scene of the party to assist in traffic control ... although neither said definitively if they'd help enforce social distancing guidelines.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Cotton Valley, C.C. Cox, told TMZ Sports he was allowing the party to happen because, "That's what he wants to do, he can do it, you know?"
We've reached out to White's team for comment ... but so far, no word back yet.
"We need to play. This state needs it. This country needs it."
LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is making it crystal clear he wants the football season to happen despite the global pandemic ... telling Vice President Mike Pence he's ready to kick things off in the fall.
Coach O spoke out on his stance in a round table conversation with the VP at Tiger Stadium on Tuesday ... saying he believes they can "handle" the coronavirus while going through with the season.
"I don't think we can take this away from our players, take this away from our state and our country," Coach O added.
"We need football. Football is the lifeblood of our country."
Of course, the 2020 season is up in the air due to the pandemic ... and SEC commish Greg Sankey has expressed concern with the status of the season.
While a decision won't be made until later this month ... O made it clear ... his Tigers will be prepared to defend the title.
"We have our team back, ready to go. We need football."
Ex-MLB star Aubrey Huff just went BALLISTIC on CA officials for their decision to lock down the state amid a new surge in COVID-19 cases ... saying he's "f**king pissed" and wonders why more people aren't outraged.
"I would rather take my chances with the coronavirus," the former World Series champ said, "and, may I remind you, it has a 99.8% survival rate -- than to end up on the f**king street no longer able to provide for my family."
COUNTERPOINT -- USA Today reports testing findings are too volatile to call the 99% survival rate statement accurate.
The ex-SF Giants infielder -- who has a home in Southern California -- ranted for over 2 minutes in a video posted to his Twitter page Tuesday ... calling people who continue to obey the orders "sheep."
"This is nothing but a system of control in order to crash the economy to get Donald Trump out of office," Huff said. "And, for those of you that can't see this, it drives me f**king batsh*t crazy."
"You know, I don't call them masks anymore. I call them mind-control devices and you're all falling for it. You're sheep."
Aubrey claims suicide rates are "through the roof" due to the closures ... and he added, "I'm f**king pissed. I cannot believe you guys aren't."
We haven't found any reports showing a clear link between COVID and a rise in national suicide numbers so far, though ABC News reports there COULD be un uptick in firearm suicide numbers over the closures.
For California lawmakers' part, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday shutting down bars, restaurants, gyms, salons and more were necessary ... as positive coronavirus cases have exploded throughout the Golden State over the past month.
"This continues to be a deadly disease," Newsom said. "This continues to be a disease that puts people in our ICUs, in our hospitals and is currently putting a strain on our hospital system."
Coronavirus seems to have people wound up tight and ready to blow -- case in point, this road rage incident that turned into real-life "Street Fighter."
Check out these 2 dudes throwing down on what appears to be a residential road in Philly -- one of them is a younger guy, and the other is older. Either way, they're both hurling punches and trying to knock the other out.
The guy in the green shirt eventually got in one good hit on the other dude as he was trying to walk away. The guys recording it are hooting and hollering watching it go down, joking by saying they thought "white lives matter."
After the final devastating blow, green shirt hops on his motorcycle and zooms off down the street seconds later. Yeah, he was definitely ready to make a clean getaway ... no question.
Now, it's unclear what might've sparked this crazy road rage ... but in any case, it seems obvious that folks are ready to tussle at a moment's notice these days.
Disneyland just opened the flood gates to Downtown Disney -- something many employees there are uncomfortable with at minimum ... and deathly afraid of at worst.
TMZ spoke to a couple different union honchos who have hundreds to thousands of members working for the Mouse House during normal times -- and they told us their rank and file don't feel safe, and won't until some crucial demands are met.
Andrea Zinder -- President of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 324 -- says her union's got about 250 cast members (Disney's term for employees) on the ground right now in Downtown Disney, whichjust invited guests back last week to fairly disastrous results -- coronavirus-wise, anyway.
July 2020
@jennydisneydreams/Instagram
If you haven't seen some of the videos of the scene, there was virtually NO social distancing being enforced whatsoever in any number of stores that reopened. One positive ... most folks were wearing masks, but shoppers were running amok, ignoring signs calling for social distancing.
Andrea tells us this seemingly uncontrollable flood of visitors -- from all over the country -- worries cast members, who say it's next to impossible to control the crowds. She says UFCW 324 has been asking for mandatory testing of employees, but Disney ain't budging.
As a result, she says she thinks the place is a breeding ground for disease, and hopes Gov. Gavin Newsom makes them close shop entirely.
In fact, under Newsom's new order issued Monday ... indoor malls and dining will have to close, but restaurants with outdoor seating -- which is most in DD -- can remain open.
NEW: As #COVID19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise, 30 counties will now be required to CLOSE INDOOR OPERATIONS for:
-Fitness Centers -Places of Worship -Offices for Non-Critical Sectors -Personal Care Services -Hair Salons and Barbershops -Malls
Austin Lynch, the Organizing Director of UNITE HERE Local 11 says the Downtown Disney reopening is a sign of how badly Disney's running the show so far.
Most of his 3,000 union members serve food in the park's hotels and cafeterias, and he too wants guaranteed testing for them before the theme park reopens ... whenever that happens.
A Disneyland official tells us, "To date, 20 union affiliates have signed agreements that include health and safety measures such as additional sick pay, reduced park capacity and face coverings for guests and cast members, allowing us to responsibly bring back our cast as soon as possible."
As for testing, Disney sent a letter to all of its unions last month saying "COVID-19 testing is not viable as a screening tool" and instead urged cast members to continue hand washing, using face coverings and distancing.
In that same letter, though, Disney bragged this approach allowed it to successfully reopen parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong. ICYMI ... Hong Kong Disneyland is re-closing due to a surge of coronavirus cases.
Banksy isn't so elusive in the time of coronavirus -- the guy's out and about in the open, tagging up public trains in London and his message is clear ... wear a damn mask!
The mysterious graffiti artist -- who's known for some of the most elaborate paint jobs and publicity stunts around -- pulled an awesome prank across the pond while riding London's Underground.
Check it out ... Banksy documented his latest work in an awesome vid, showing him infiltrating a busy train and getting to work beautifully tagging it.
You can't really see his face all that well -- he has a face mask and full PPE on to conceal his identity -- but it's wild that Banksy surfaced so overtly here.
He fooled the riders into thinking he was there to do business, and nobody gave him a hard time when he whipped out his paint can. Banksy proceeded to paint his signature sewer rats, only this time with a heavy COVID theme.
Some of them were wearing masks, some were sneezing snot across the windows -- and of course, Banksy added some pop culture commentary by invoking a Chumbawamba hit that you haven't heard in years.
Four-time MLB All-Star Charlie Blackmon says he didn't have many issues in his fight with COVID-19 at all ... telling reporters Monday the flu he had a few years ago was worse.
"My symptoms were what I would consider mild flu symptoms," the Colorado Rockies OF said. "I had a headache, I had a bit of a cough and then I had some body aches. I just felt sick."
But, Blackmon -- who returned to Colorado camp for the first time since contracting coronavirus last month -- says his symptoms went away after only about a day and a half.
"It only lasted for about 36 hours," Blackmon said, "and I would consider it mild compared to the flu. I had the flu proper a couple years ago and I thought that thing was going to wipe me out."
Don't get it twisted ... Blackmon says he knows he's lucky his experience with the virus wasn't much worse -- but he emphasized, "I would consider the symptoms that I felt to be minor."
It's great news for the Rockies and the MLB as a whole ... when Blackmon was diagnosed last month -- there was obviously some concern for the 34-year-old.
But, Charlie told media members he's all good ... and could even be ready for the team's season opener later this month.
"I'm healthy and I don't expect to be at risk," Charlie said, "and I don't expect to be risking other people's health for the rest of the season."
Powerful moment on the field at the Chicago Fire vs. Seattle Sounders FC game in Orlando where ALL of the players took a knee in a powerful moment of silence right before kickoff.
Even the ref got down on a knee.
Some players raised a clenched fist -- including Chicago Fire striker C.J. Sapong.
As the camera panned around the field, we didn't see one person -- players, coaches, linesmen, etc -- who didn't participate in the tribute.
After roughly 30 seconds, the ref blew the whistle, people stood and clapped -- and play began.
Obviously, the kneeling is to put a spotlight on police brutality and racial injustice ... clearly inspired by Colin Kaepernick.
Interesting to note, the national anthem was NOT playing during the kneeling demonstration.
The game is part of the MLS is Back tournament -- currently taking place inside of a bubble environment in Orlando, Florida.
Just last week, players from Orlando City SC and Inter Miami CF held a similar tribute before they kicked off ... only that one lasted 8 minutes and 46 seconds as a way to put a spotlight on George Floyd.
NY Yankees outfielderClint Frazier says he's not the only MLB player considering wearing a mask when the '20 season starts -- telling TMZ Sports he knows a few guys are trying them out during practice.
25-year-old Frazier just rocked a COVID mask during a Yankees inter-squad game last week ... wearing it in the field and during his at-bats.
Frazier says the mask didn't really bother him -- "I feel comfortable" -- and at this point, it seems like he'll continue to wear it into the 2020 season, which is set to begin later this month.
And, with COVID numbers exploding in certain cities, we wondered if other players would be following Clint's lead.
"I know that some guys are wearing it more in practice on the field," Clint told us ... "It's just a comfortability thing."
"Obviously, I speak for myself. But, hopefully, guys just continue to be safe and do whatever they feel is best possible for them and for us and for everyone else around."
So far, 3 Yankees players have already tested positive for COVID -- Aroldis Chapman, Luis Cessa and D.J. LeMahieu.
Clint tells us he's already spoken with LeMahieu -- and the infielder is champing at the bit to get back with the team.
"I spoke to D.J., I know he's frustrated," Frazier says.
"I know that he wants to get back. He's probably walking around with his batting gloves on right now. He's definitely missed in the clubhouse. Whenever he comes back, I'm sure he's gonna be ready to bat .300 immediately."
We also asked Clint if he feels the 2020 World Series will be tarnished due to the shortened season ... and Frazier shot that notion down hard,
"I don't think anyone's going to deny a World Series championship if we get it," the NYY outfielder says. "I don't think anyone won't come to the parade if we win it."
Of course, a lot of people disagree ... with the season only scheduled to go 60 games -- and with several stars already opting out of the 2020 iteration of the MLB season, some believe this year's champ WILL come with a caveat.
But, when we got Frazier out in NYC this week ... he told us he believes a ring's a ring regardless of a shortened season.
"They all count the same, I think," Frazier said. "It's obviously a unique situation right now and somebody has to win the World Series."
"So, I think whoever gets it, it's going to be just as special to everyone that's involved."
