Gallo remains on COVID-19 list; Higashioka returns to active roster

NEW YORK — Joey Gallo and Kyle Higashioka were physically at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday after staying home on Sunday and Monday because they were feeling under the weather. Higashioka was feeling well enough to get added back to the active roster, but he was not in the starting lineup. Gallo and Josh Donaldson are still on the COVID-19 list.

“Joey and Higgy are both here and doing well,” Boone said. “They went through some workouts. They’re doing really well. Josh [Donaldson] is still under the weather so we had him stay home.”

Both Higashioka and Donaldson continue to test negative for COVID. Boone said, to his knowledge, nobody else in the Yankee clubhouse is feeling sick. With a wave of players hitting the COVID IL again and players needing to be called up from the minor leagues on short notice, Boone was asked if this reminded him of the hectic nature of the first two seasons that were played during the pandemic.

Chapman to IL: Aroldis Chapman has not pitched since Sunday, the day he publicly acknowledged that he was having some issues with his left Achilles. On Tuesday, he was officially placed on the 15-day injured list with Achilles tendinitis.

Boone called an IL stint a “likely” scenario during his pregame press conference, which was roughly an hour and a half before the move became official. His update on Chapman was slightly sunny, but obviously the clouds have not totally dispersed.

“Chappy’s doing a little bit better,” Boone said. “He’s improving.”

Rizzo not hitting: As Aaron Judge sets fire to everything in his way, Anthony Rizzo has gone noticeably cold.

Rizzo’s tremendous start to the season adds a nice coat of paint to his overall numbers, but in the month of May, he’s been a .183 hitter. The first baseman’s power has dried up too, as nine of his 10 home runs came in April.

“I feel like it’s a bit of a timing thing,” Aaron Boone said of Rizzo’s recent issues at the plate. “Sometimes he’s been a little bit late on pitches or just miss-hit some pitches, so that quality of contact hasn’t been the same. I think that consistent quality of contact is probably as simple as a timing thing.”