Yankees’ Gio Urshela placed under COVID injured list after vaccine side effects

While the New York Yankees were one of the few teams vocal about the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine being a “personal choice”, the team suffered a blow in their playing order after Gio Urshela, the team’s third baseman, started experiencing side effects from the jab and was placed under the ‘COVID injured list’. 

While the COVID injured list has not prescribed minimum stay in the Major League Baseball, being classified under it will eliminate the player or team staff from the game roster, reported ESPN. 

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The change was made shortly before the team was scheduled to face off the Tampa Bay Rays and resulted in the temporary ouster of Urshela, who was originally listed in the starting lineup of the three-game series against the Florida team. 

According to Aaron Boone, the manager for the Yankees, numerous people from the team’s travel party, including players and uniformed members, were inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine at the Yankees Stadium on Wednesday. According to a statement released by the team’s management, a member of the medical crew from Montefiore Medical Center was assigned the inoculation duty for the entire team and its management, reported ESPN.

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While Urshela is temporarily being substituted with the team’s infielder Mike Ford, the efforts for achieving the required 85% inoculation rate continue. The set criteria will eliminate the need for multiple health safety protocols imposed by the authorities if at least 85% of the team and staff have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.