Yankees' Anthony Rizzo Tests Positive for COVID-19 After Experiencing Symptoms

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo has tested positive for COVID-19, manager Aaron Boone told reporters Sunday.

Boone said Rizzo is symptomatic. Pitchers Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery and catcher Gary Sanchez also recently tested positive.

Rizzo revealed in June that he is choosing to not undergo vaccination for COVID-19 because he wants to "see the data in all of it."

"This is bigger than baseball. This is a life decision," Rizzo said at the time. "It weighed hard. It's a decision I made and I stand with, and obviously there are people that are going to hate me and think I'm disgusting. And there are going to be people that side with me, but it's out in the open."

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, according to the FDA and many other major medical organizations worldwide. While there has been an increase in cases among vaccinated individuals due to the Delta variant, the FDA has said the "three FDA-authorized vaccines prevent COVID-19 and serious health outcomes that COVID-19 can cause, including hospitalization and deaths." United States health officials have said the majority of hospitalizations and deaths due to the virus are among the unvaccinated, per CNN.

More than 614,000 people have died in the United States due to COVID-19.

Rizzo will miss at least the next 10 days and will have to pass MLB protocol in order to be activated from the COVID list.

The Yankees activated Luke Voit from the injured list to replace Rizzo, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. Rizzo has hit three home runs and scored eight runs in his first nine games with the Yankees.