GM expects 85% threshold by week’s end – MLB.com

PITTSBURGH -- Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday he believes the team will be at the 85% threshold for COVID-19 vaccinations by the end of the coming week.

Cherington made the announcement on his Sunday morning radio show on 93.7 The Fan.

In some cases, were still getting through that two-week waiting period after the second shot and things like that, Cherington said. But by the end of the week, we expect to be at 85%.

Clubs were informed that MLB and the MLBPA have agreed to relax certain health and safety protocols contained in the 2021 Operations Manual for fully vaccinated Tier 1 Individuals and for clubs where 85% of their Tier 1 Individuals are fully vaccinated. As part of that memo, players and staff were again strongly encouraged to receive one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines when eligible.

The Pirates have encouraged their players to get the vaccination as a safety measure, Cherington said, but he reiterated on Sunday that it has never been a mandate. Through answering questions and addressing concerns raised by players and staff on an individual basis, he believes it could have some deeper effects on the club, too.

In some respects, I think our relationships internally have grown from that, Cherington said. I believe that just because weve had to work through some of these challenging issues together, and I think and hope that that will have benefits for us down the road.

In the short term, it will open up a lot of benefits for the players. Theyll be able to have family join them on the road; catcher Jacob Stallings spoke earlier this week about the effect that having his family around at home games has had on his mental well-being. The team will be able to unmask in the dugout, use saunas in the training area and utilize game rooms to relax before games.

Small steps, but ones that could have a big impact on the Pirates players and staff.

We think about the pandemic as a medical issue -- and it is, Cherington said, but we also know that there is a mental-health impact that comes from all of the things that the coronavirus has induced in our society and the changes its forced in our lives and other things.

Some of these things may sound small but they add up to helping players and staff feel a little bit better about themselves over the course of a season.

Cherington said No. 12 prospect Miguel Yajures symptoms are getting better after he was scratched from his most recent start due to right elbow discomfort and forearm tightness. Yajure has produced a 3.71 ERA at Triple-A Indianapolis and pitched five scoreless innings in his most recent Major League start on May 14 vs. the Giants.

He had been pitching with some sensation, and just eventually said hed like to let this calm down, Cherington said. So its not something he wasnt performing through, but once he told us that, we wanted to make sure it was right. So well take a little time and let him calm down.

No. 4 prospect Oneil Cruz has committed nine errors in 25 games at shortstop for Double-A Altoona, but Cherington attributes part of that to rust of not having a 2020 season, not to any lacking skills. However, he said Cruz, who entered Sunday with a 10-game hitting streak, wont stick at one spot all the time, as the Pirates value versatility.

Hes going to play other positions, but that has no bearing on whether hes a shortstop or not, Cherington said.

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GM expects 85% threshold by week's end - MLB.com