New York Yankees 3B coach Phil Nevin positive for COVID-19, other coaches pending, Aaron Boone says – ESPN

New York Yankees third-base coach Phil Nevin has tested positive for the coronavirus, and the team is waiting on further testing to confirm the status of other coaches and staff, manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday.

At least five coaches have tested positive, sources told ESPN's Marly Rivera.

"We're doing all we can to stay healthy. A little bit of a skeleton staff but nothing we can't handle," Boone said.

The team said in a statement that Nevin is fully vaccinated and under quarantine protocol in Tampa, Florida, where the Yankees are playing the Rays on Tuesday night.

"He's doing OK," Boone said.

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Contact tracing is ongoing, but no players are involved, according to Boone. Bench coach Carlos Mendoza replaced Nevin as third-base coach, and minor league coordinator Mario Garza filled in as first-base coach for Reggie Willits. Pitching coach Matt Blake was visible in the bullpen area when starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery warmed up before the game.

"Hopefully the fact that we are vaccinated in a pretty large mass ... will blunt this and allow a number of us to not get anything and keep the symptoms at a minimum if it does get through," Boone said.

The Yankees on April 30 were able to relax MLB protocols after reaching an 85% vaccination rate among players and staff such as managers, coaches and athletic trainers. The team spoke with MLB officials about the situation.

"We'll have to definitely evaluate and make sure we're doing everything we possibly can to prevent things from happening," Boone said.

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who resumed wearing a mask during a pregame videoconference session Tuesday, said the players were comfortable in playing the game.

"As a whole, we're going to press on," Cole said. "I don't think this is going to be over for a few years. I think we're going to have to be dealing with this kind of thing for a while. And every time these things come up, we're going to have to adapt and learn, just as a species."

Cole planned to wear a mask in the dugout during Tuesday night's game.

"We've all learned that playing through a pandemic last year, nothing surprises you, but it catches you off guard a little bit," Boone said. "Playing the 2020 season, going through spring training, playing this year and not having an issue, it still hits you, it still stops you in your tracks. Without question we're certainly more equipped to deal with it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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New York Yankees 3B coach Phil Nevin positive for COVID-19, other coaches pending, Aaron Boone says - ESPN