New York Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres tested positive for COVID-19, the team confirmed Thursday afternoon. Torres is the 8th member of the Yankees organization to test positive this week, this after being fully vaccinated and previously having been diagnosed the virus in the offseason. The other positive cases were also from those who were fully vaccinated.
Torres was kept out of Wednesday night’s starting lineup at Tampa Bay as a precaution, and was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Thursday. Pitching coach Matt Blake, third base coach Phil Nevin and first base coach Reggie Willits were among those who tested positive for the virus, along with a couple additional staff members had positive tests confirmed on Wednesday. The majority of those who have tested positive are asymptomatic.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that MLB’s Joint COVID-19 Health and Safety Committee was waiting and reviewing a number of test results, and that the members of New York’s traveling party had been tested at least three times each since Tuesday. Boone said: “We’re seeing the vaccinations also kind of blunt the effects of the virus. We’re also learning as we go and getting informed as what we need to do exactly and just try to do as best we can to be able to make quick adjustments on the fly. Just doing the best we can with it all.”
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