May 14, 2021 (UPI) — Nearly 84% of Major League Baseball’s Tier 1 individuals, which includes players and staff members, are partially or fully vaccinated for COVID-19, officials said Friday in a news release.
MLB said 16 teams have reached a threshold of at least 85% of personnel being fully vaccinated. Among its 30 teams, 77.6% of Tier 1 individuals are fully vaccinated.
Results last week turned up 10 positives among 10,629 tests conducted. Three players and seven staff members tested positive this week.
The New York Yankees, one of the teams to reach the 85% threshold, had eight people test positive for COVID-19 this week. They each received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April.
The eight positive results came from shortstop Gleyber Torres, pitching coach Matt Blake, third base coach Phil Nevin, first base coach Reggie Willits and four members of the team’s traveling staff.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced Thursday that Torres had tested positive. He also tested positive in December.
“It’s certainly unexpected,” Boone told reporters. “MLB and everyone in charge of testing is looking into it and the variants that could be out there. We are just trying to do as best we can and keep our guys healthy and safe.”
San Diego Padres teammates Fernando Tatis Jr. and Wil Myers also received positive COVID-19 test results earlier this week.
To date, MLB said 54 positive results emerged from 156,276 tests conducted since the start of the season. Those positive results came from 30 players and 24 staff members.
MLB protocol allows for teams to relax health and safety practices, such as decreased mask wearing, once those teams reach the 85% vaccination threshold.
