With Corona Virus forcing major league teams to halt operations and postpone live-action games, the New York Yankees are taking all precautions to ensure their staff is safe from any exposure.
The Yankees, however, are staying in Tampa to continue informal practicing while the league shuts down in an effort to remain healthy and fit for the start of the regular season. The additional time off should contribute toward the recovery process for Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and James Paxton.
General manager Brian Cashman expressed his confidence in their protocols to monitor players, as per NJ.com:
“Once the temperature rises, obviously we monitor it and get them over to our internist,†Cashman said. “And just as in prior years, they go through the protocols. If the internist thinks he might have influenza – whether it’s a player or a staff member, front office member, coaching staff (member) – they go through the process.
“Does he have strep? Does he have influenza? All that stuff. We’ll continue to act accordingly on both sides … the major-league camp and the minor-league camp.
Remaining together seems like the best move for the Yankees, considering the viral spread of the infection could have reached immediate family. For teams like the Yanks who play in New York, staying away from the Bronx is essential, with the number of infected people tripling since Wednesday in the city.
“There’s no script here that we can all fall back on and rely upon,†Cashman said. “I think there’s a recognition of there’s a lot of unknown.â€
With nearly every sports league and event canceled for the next month, at least, all we can do now is speculate and evaluate the team/players before the start of the regular season. We will be providing updates and reports in the coming weeks to ensure you’re caught up on all baseball-related activities.