JUST IN: Yankees Have Second Covid Outbreak of the Season, Star Slugger Aaron Judge In Protocol
Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images
Thursday night’s game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox was postponed after pitchers Nestor Cortes Jr., Jonathan Loaisiga, and Wandy Peralta tested positive for Covid-19. All have been fully vaccinated, according Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman.
MLB makes it official with a press release: “Following positive COVID-19 tests within the New York Yankees organization, tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium has been postponed to allow for continued testing and contact tracing.”
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) July 15, 2021
Right-fielder Aaron Judge, catcher Kyle Higashioka, and infielder Gio Urshela have been put into the league’s Covid-19 protocol.
These positives could have broader implications for the rest of the league, as Judge just played in the All-Star Game in Denver on Tuesday, where he came into close contact with players from around the league.
The Yankees were one of the first teams to reach a vaccination rate of 85%, but the team still had an outbreak in May among some of its staff.
To date, this is the eighth postponement this season due to Covid, but the first since April.
Yankees beat writer for The Athletic Lindsey Adler reported that as of Thursday evening, the team had three positive tests and three pending tests, per Cashman. He said the positives and expected positives were among players.
Brian Cashman: “We have 3 positives and we have 3 pending.”
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) July 15, 2021
Brian Cashman: All positives and expected positives all within the player ranks.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) July 15, 2021
“Most” of the 6 players who are or may be COVID positive have been vaccinated, Brian Cashman says. Not all.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) July 15, 2021
The three confirmed positive cases — Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes, and Wandy Peralta — were all vaccinated, Brian Cashman said. Two J&J, one mRNA.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) July 15, 2021
