The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Yankees coach Nevin has positive COVID-19 test
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — New York Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin is away from the team after a positive COVID-19 test.
New York announced the positive test for Nevin, who is fully vaccinated, about two hours before the scheduled first pitch Tuesday night at Tampa Bay.
Nevin is under quarantine protocol in nearby Tampa. Under Major League Baseball’s guidance and advice, and with its assistance, additional testing and contact tracing are ongoing.
“He’s doing OK,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Several other coaches are expected to miss the game due to contact tracing, but Boone said the contact tracing does not include any players.
“We have a few other staff, coaches that are still pending and we don’t have confirmation on,“Boone said. “There’s a few people that we sent home just as a precaution to make sure. We’re doing all we can to stay healthy. A little bit of a skeleton staff but nothing we can’t handle.”
Bench coach Carlos Mendoza replaced Nevin as third base coach, and minor league coordinator Mario Garza filled in as first base coach for Reggie Willits.
The Yankees on April 30 were able to relax MLB protocols after reaching an 85% vaccination rate among players and staff much as managers, coaches and athletic trainers. The team was talking with MLB officials about the situation.
“We’ll have to definitely evaluate and make sure we’re doing everything we possibly can to prevent things from happening,” Boone said.
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who resumed wearing a mask during a pregame zoom session Tuesday, said the players were comfortable in playing the game.
“As a whole, we’re going to press on,” Cole said. “I don’t think this is going to be over for a few years. I think we’ve going to have to be dealing with this kind of thing for a while. And every time these things come up, we’re going to have to adapt and learn, just as a species.”
Cole planned to wear a mask in the dugout during Tuesday night’s game.
“We’ve all learned that playing through a pandemic last year, nothing surprises you, but it catches you off guard a little bit,” Boone said. “Playing the 2020 season, going through spring training, playing this year and not having an issue, it still hits you, it still stops you in your tracks. Without question we’re certainly more equipped to deal with it.”
VOIT ACTIVATED RECOVERING FROM KNEE SURGERY
Major league home run champion Luke Voit was activated from the 10-day injured list by the New York Yankees and was set to make his season debut against the AL champion Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
The 30-year-old had surgery March 29 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and hit .389 (7 for 18) with two doubles and three homers during a five-game injury rehabilitation assignment from May 4-9 with Triple-A Scranton/WilkesBarre.
Voit missed the first 34 games of the Yankees, who went 18-16. He batted .277 last season with 22 homers and 52 RBIs in 213 at-bats over 56 games.
New York first basemen hit .153 (19 for 124) in his absence with three homers, 10 RBIs, 36 strikeouts and 17 walks.
In Voit’s absence, Jay Bruce played 10 games at first base and hit .118 (4 for 34) with one homer, three RBIs, 13 strikeouts five walks, then retired.
Mike Ford played 13 at first and batted .103 (4 for 39) with two homers, four RBIs, 14 strikeouts and six walks, and DJ LeMahieu played 15 there and hit .282 (11 for 50) with no homers, three RBIs, nine strikeouts and six walks). Miguel Andujar had one game at first, going 0 for 4.
With Voit’s return, LeMahieu figures to get most of his time at second base.
New York opened a roster spot for Voit on Sunday when they optioned Andujar to Scranton.