The hits just keep coming for the Yankees, who are all-too familiar with catching the injury bug.
Shortly after Aaron Judge was left out of the Yankee lineups for Friday’s series opener against the Rays with general side soreness, third baseman Gio Urshela was a late scratch from the lineup less than an hour before first pitch.
DJ LeMahieu moved over to the hot corner in the updated lineup, while Tyler Wade was put at second base, and we later found out why: the Yankees placed Urshela on the COVID injured list due to side effects from vaccination.
To replace Urshela on the 25-man roster, the Yankees recalled Mike Ford from the Alternate Site. Ford was already with the team as part of the five-man taxi squad (along with RHPs Michael King and Albert Abreu and catchers Rob Brantly and Kellin Deglan), so he is available on Friday.
The reasoning for Urshela’s removal was unknown for a little while, as manager Aaron Boone had already concluded his pregame media availability, but speculation ran from perhaps an arm injury (Urshela did undergo elbow surgery over the offseason and had a late start to spring training) to perhaps something stemming from Wednesday night, when he was thrown out at home plate trying to tag up and score what would have been the game-tying run in the bottom of the 11th against the Orioles, and was slow to get up after sliding headfirst into home and catching a tag on the brim of his helmet, which appeared to push the helmet back into his face.
Orioles finally end their 12-game losing streak against the Yankees. Anthony Santander throws out Gio Urshela at the plate to end it. #Birdland pic.twitter.com/ejsj9H5ssk
— Justin Groc (@jgroc) April 8, 2021
“He wrenched his neck on the tag, but seemed to be OK,” Boone said after the game on Wednesday.
Instead, Urshela is on the I.L. due to vaccination side effects. The Yankees received their vaccinations after Wednesday's game, getting the single dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) shots - and while side effects have been common for all variants of the vaccine, it is to be noted that Urshela had COVID-19 this winter, which could have triggered a more severe reaction.
Urshela has six hits in 23 at-bats so far this season.
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