With pumping in crowd noise
MLB flew D.R. players to U.S. without tests for COVID-19: report
obviously, keeping everyone tested every other day. I thought we’ve stayed on schedule, guys have completed their tests,” Britton said. “Our training staff has done a fantastic job on keeping that organized and keeping everyone on schedule.”
LOAISIGA IS READY TO GO
Jonathan Loaisiga may be among one of the last Yankees to arrive in New York for the reboot of spring training, but the right-hander could be among the more prepared for the coronavirus-shortened season. Loaisiga said Thursday he was able to play in a “small league” in his native Nicaragua during the threeand-a half month MLB shutdown.
“I was lucky enough and thank God for the opportunity that I had because it allowed me to stay in shape and keep practicing. I was able to face hitters out there. There was a small league going on over there and under the team’s recommendation, I was able to join that league and pitch a couple games,” Loaisiga said before Thursday
night’s intrasquad scrimmage at Yankee Stadium. “The last game (I pitched) was on Saturday. I (pitched) about four innings there. So you know, having the opportunity to participate there and all the training basically get in shape.”
With so much unknown about this 60-game sprint of a season that MLB is attempting to pull off in the midst of a pandemic, Loaisiga’s role is undetermined. After Masahiro Tanaka suffered a mild concussion on the first day of official workouts, there could be a spot open in the rotation early on. Loaisiga is always among the names they consider when there is a starting spot open.
Also, with Luis Cessa still at home isolating after having tested positive for the coronavirus and suffering mild symptoms, the Yankees will need a long reliever in the bullpen.
HOME FOR HOLIDAYS
The Yankees will play in the Bronx on every major summer holiday next season and will be in Queens for the
Three months later, though, Andujar is still working on his feel at first. “Playing first base, playing outfield and third base, of course, it gives you the flexibility you know, it opens more doors for me and more opportunities,” Andujar said through Yankees team interpreter Marlon Abreu. “But it’s learning a new position at this level. So there’s a lot of things going on that you have to pay attention to. You have to listen to the coaches and understand what they’re trying to teach you, you know, so that you can put that into action right away.” 20th Anniversary of 9/11 to face the Mets. The Yankees will also host the Mets on July 4 and the Rays on Memorial Day. They will have the Blue Jays on Labor Day, the Blue Jays on Easter, the Nationals on Mother’s Day and the A’s on Father’s day.
The Yankees’ 2021 schedule, which was released by the league on Thursday, opens at home with the Blue Jays on April 1. It features six games against the Mets and series against the National League East in interleague play. They will host the Braves, Nationals, Mets and Phillies next season — they will travel to Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta and Queens.
The Bombers’ first game against their American League East rival Red Sox comes June 4 in the Bronx, and then they host the last two World Series champs with the Astros (May 4-6) and the Nationals (May 7-9) coming in.
They end their season with perhaps their biggest challenger in the division, facing the Rays in the Bronx Oct. 1-3.
Dominican players heading to the United States pandemic-shortened season seemingly brought everything with them except a clean bill of health.
According to the Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty, players and staff members were not tested for coronavirus before boarding a pair of MLBchartered planes. Since then, multiple players on those flights have tested positive.
Six players in the defending champion Nationals organization, including star outfielder Juan Soto, were reportedly exposed on the flights and are now quarantining in D.C. One member of the Nationals is said to have tested positive for COVID-19.
A league spokesman said that tests were harder to obtain in the DR, and that
“shipping saliva samples from the Dominican Republic to the U.S. was not possible due to governmental restrictions.”
On Tuesday, the league doubled down on their decision to forego testing those Dominican players and staff.
“Testing 160 asymptomatic players in the Dominican Republic would have diverted substantial resources away from the Dominican health care system, where the availability of laboratory equipment is scarce, and would have required an exception to the country’s criteria for testing, which was not something we were prepared to do.”
This is not the first significant testing lapse during the league’s relaunch attempts. Numerous teams have reported extended waits on test results, leading some squads to cancel practices until clearing every person covered under the testing protocol for coronavirus.