Fully vaccinated Gleyber Torres becomes eighth Yankee to test positive for COVID-19

Shortstop Gleyber Torres is the eighth member of the Yankees traveling party to test positive for COVID-19 even though he is fully vaccinated.

The Yankees COVID-19 outbreak is only getting worse.

On Thursday, New York confirmed shortstop Gleyber Torres tested positive after being held out of Wednesday’s game against the Rays as a precaution.

Torres was fully vaccinated and actually had COVID-19 during the offseason, according to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic.

Manager Aaron Boone said Torres is asymptomatic, per Marly Rivera of ESPN.

He’ll now head to the injury list with Miguel Andujar called up from Triple-A Scranton to fill the roster spot.

The Yankees COVID-19 numbers grew with Gleyber Torres

Eight members of the Yankees‘ traveling party have tested positive this week, including pitching coach Matt Blake, third-base coach Phil Nevin, first-base coach Reggie Willits. Four more staffers also came back with positive tests. Most have been asymptomatic.

The Yankees who have tested positive were vaccinated via the Johnson & Johnson shot. While the Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are all effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalization, the former has the lowest efficacy of the three in terms of preventing contraction, per Bloomberg. However, Johnson & Johnson has proven particularly adept at keeping symptoms short and long-term at a minimum.

Torres is batting .234/.326/.298. He’s hit one home run with 10 RBI and two stolen bases.

New York has played two games in Tampa Bay to start this road trip, but they face another eight before heading back home. The good news is they’re rolling despite the COVID-19 issues. They’ve won four in a row and nine of their last 11.

The surge has them tied for second in the AL East with a 20-16 record.  They’ll look to finish the series sweep against the Rays on Thursday.