FILE — Members of the Boston Red Sox take batting practice at Yankee Stadium on July 15, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Adam Hunger/Getty Images/AFP
Major League Baseball postponed Thursday’s scheduled game between visiting Boston and the New York Yankees after multiple COVID-19 positive tests within the Yankees organization.
An MLB statement said the contest, the only Thursday outing planned following a break for the MLB All-Star Game, was postponed “to allow for continued testing and contact tracing.”
Following positive COVID-19 tests within the Yankees organization, tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium has been postponed to allow for continued testing and contact tracing. MLB will continue to provide scheduling updates as available.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 15, 2021
The Yankees announced before the game was wiped out that they had placed left-handed pitchers Nestor Cortes, who was born in Cuba, and Dominican Wandy Peralta on the Covid-19 list under MLB health and safety protocols.
The game was only the eighth of the campaign to be postponed due to Covid-19 and the first since April 19.
MLB allowed teams who reached the 85% vaccination level to scale back coronavirus safety measures such as face masks in dugouts and bullpens and the Yankees were among the first teams to qualify.