UPDATE: According to ESPN MLB insider Jeff Pasan, three additional players from the New York Yankees have been added to the COVID injured list. Those players include outfielder Aaron Judge, catcher Kyle Higashioka and third baseman Gio Urshela. The total number of Yankees players on the COVID injured list is currently six.
THE BRONX, N.Y. — With the second half of the 2021 season dawning Thursday afternoon, the New York Yankees halted their ambitions for a second-half spur due to multiple players contracting COVID-19. General manager Brian Cashman stated that relief pitchers Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes, and Wandy Peralta have tested positive for COVID-19, three unnamed players await pending test results.
According to Cashman, all players who have tested positive are expected to be okay.
The positive cases come hours before the Yankees were scheduled to play a four-game series in The Bronx against the first-place Boston Red Sox.
“First and foremost, anyone who’s testing positive, help them be as healthy as they can be. Obviously, we have a couple of them that have had symptoms but are for the most part doing really well … we’ll rally around them and give them the support they need,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game was postponed.
Loaisiga was the first to be exposed to COVID-19 before the All-Star break while the Yankees played a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Loaisiga and Cortes both pitched on Friday, July 9 against the Astros. Cortes made the start for New York, going 4.2 innings and Loaisiga went a single frame to close the game in the ninth. They both did not see the field for Game 2 and 3 of the weekend series to close out the first half of the season.
Despite positive Covid-19 results — days before the Mid-Summer Classic — closer Aroldis Chapman, starter Gerrit Cole, and outfielder Aaron Judge did make appearances at the All-Star Game in Denver. Covid testing before the star-studded game has not been confirmed by Latino Sports.
All-Star players from the Red Sox are being asked to test for the virus after attending festivities in Denver.
“I watched the game, I was concerned right away … I was a little worried and obviously I’m worried now,” Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It’s still out there, you watch sports and events and it feels like it’s over but it’s not … it just puts everything into perspective like are we doing the right thing?”
Cora stated that the Yankees are the number one priority.
“We don’t want to take any chances … that’s the number one priority, just take care of them,” he said as he gestured towards the Yankees dugout.
The remainder of the series against the Red Sox remains uncertain and a decision will be made by Major League Baseball on whether the Yankees and Red Sox will play their Friday night matchup at 7:05 EST at Yankee Stadium.
