The injury bug keeps on biting the Yankees, who had to make a handful of roster moves due to COVID-19 issues prior to Sunday’s doubleheader.
The Yankees announced just before first pitch of Game 1 that outfielder Joey Gallo and catcher Kyle Higashioka have been placed on the COVID-IL, and the team recalled RHP David McKay and catcher Rob Brantly from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
To make a 40-man roster spot for Brantly, the team transferred catcher Ben Rortvedt to the 60-day injured list.
Following Game 1 of the doubleheader, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said both players were tested for COVID last night because of symptoms, and neither attended the Yankees' Welcome Home Dinner, but both of their tests came back negative. Still, they were placed on the IL because of the symptoms.
McKay, acquired from the Rays in a cash deal just before the season’s beginning, was 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA in 11 appearances at Triple-A, with 21 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old righty has a 6.08 ERA in 26 2/3 MLB innings between 2019-20 with Detroit and Seattle, and he and recently-recalled RHP Ron Marinaccio will help fill the void left by Chad Green, who will undergo Tommy John surgery and be out for the season.
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Brantly, 32, was hitting .257 in 14 games for the RailRiders. He appeared in six games for the Yankees last year as a COVID replacement and hit .150.
The Yankees had previously recalled outfielder Estevan Florial as the 27th man for Sunday’s doubleheader, so it remains to be seen if he will remain on the roster (with McKay being sent back down) to fill Gallo’s spot going forward in the short-term.
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