The New York Yankees held shortstop Gleyber Torres out of Wednesday's game at the Tampa Bay Rays out of an "abundance of caution" after three coaches and seven total members of New York's traveling party tested positive for COVID-19.
ESPN's Marly Rivera had reported Torres would miss Thursday's series finale at the Rays, and the Yankees have since confirmed Torres also tested positive for the coronavirus.
"He was fully vaccinated and previously had COVID-19 during the most recent baseball offseason," the Yankees explained in a statement shared by Rivera. "Torres has been placed on the COVID-19 injured list, and the Yankees have recalled Miguel Andujar from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre."
Players and coaches who test positive must isolate for a minimum of 10 days before they can be cleared to return to team activities.
The Yankees added that all eight individuals who tested positive, including Torres, are vaccinated and, thus, are considered "breakthrough" positives. Third base coach Phil Nevin, first base coach Reggie Willits and pitching coach Matt Blake are among the seven members of the traveling party who tested positive, and manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that six of the seven non-players were asymptomatic.
"Major League Baseball, its medical experts and the New York State Department of Health are currently advising and assisting the Yankees, who continue to undergo additional testing and contact tracing," the club said.
Boone told reporters Thursday that Torres is asymptomatic and that everyone else is also feeling fine:
Boone: "The one positive for us is that today was the first day with no new cases. That is the first time that has happened since we had the first case. So hopefully that is good news." Boone added that now all 8 COVID-19 cases within their traveling party are asymptomatic.
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) May 13, 2021
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