Gary Sanchez is just the latest member of the New York Yankees to test positive for coronavirus.
The New York Yankees have been hit with another positive COVID test, this time for catcher Gary Sanchez. Manager Aaron Boone announced the unfortunate news during his pregame press conference on Thursday. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com broke the news on Twitter.
Gary Sanchez has tested positive for COVID-19, Aaron Boone announces.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) August 5, 2021
Rob Brantly will be called up from the minors to take Sanchez’s spot on the roster. He recently served as the backup catcher when Kyle Higashioka was on the COVID list. Now, he will back up Higashioka while Gary Sanchez recovers.
Sanchez is batting just .216 on the year and has slumped recently, but is still far improved compared to his lost 2020. The veteran backstop has 17 home runs with 39 RBI and a .779 OPS as the Yankees’ offense has generally struggled.
Per Brendan Kuty of NJ.com, Sanchez “didn’t feel well last night, didn’t feel great this morning,” and Boone speculated the team’s recent trip to Florida might have played a role.
Gary Sanchez now joins pitchers Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery on the COVID-19 list. This is the third time this season the New York Yankees have dealt with a COVID outbreak. Moreover, most of the team’s Tier 1 personnel are indeed vaccinated.
The Delta variant is real, folks. Get vaccinated. Wear your masks. Stay smart and, more importantly, stay safe.
