Orioles' Keegan Akin, Anthony Santander placed on COVID-19 IL

COVID-19 continues to impact the baseball and sports worlds. 

Ahead of Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Baltimore Orioles confirmed that left-handed pitcher Keegan Akin and outfielder Anthony Santander had been placed on the COVID-19 injured list. Akin was Baltimore's scheduled starter for Wednesday's outing and was replaced by fellow southpaw Alexander Wells, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start against the Rays. 

In a different corresponding roster move, Baltimore recalled outfielder Ryan McKenna from Triple-A Norfolk after he was optioned Tuesday. 

According to The Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde learned about the club's coronavirus-related setbacks late Tuesday night.

"We're following the protocols," Hyde said before Wednesday's matchup. "There's going to be more information. This is pretty last-minute news, so there's going to be more information as we go along, but right now we're putting two guys on the injured list because of COVID protocols and then we'll go from there."

It was unknown before Wednesday's game when either Akin or Santander could be eligible to return.

Per Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have been among clubs that reached the 85% COVID-19 vaccination threshold needed for the relaxing of certain health and safety restrictions since at least early May. 

Baltimore began Wednesday dead last in the overall American League standings at 31-63.