Yankees get news on J.A. Happ’s hand, mouth and foot disease

Left-hander J.A. Happ missed a start last weekend in Boston.

CHICAGO — Yankees manager Aaron Boone showed up five minutes late for his pre-game presser Monday afternoon because he was finishing up an important phone call.

Left-hander J.A. Happ’s latest update on his hand, foot and mouth disease was encouraging.

“Good news,” Boone said from the visiting dugout at Guarantee Rate Field before the Yankees-Chicago White Sox’s series opener. “He’s out of the woods virus wise. Not contagious.”

With Happ healthy, the Yankees plan to activate him from the 10-day disabled list when he’s first eligible on Thursday and pitch him that night at Yankee Stadium for the start of a four-game series against the Texas Rangers.

“The idea will be that if everything goes well here in the next couple of days that he’d be in line to start for us Thursday,” Boone said.

Happ was traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the Yankees on July 26, the 2018 All-Star won his debut with his new club three days later with a one-run, six-inning outing against the Kansas City Royals and four two days after that he landed on the DL with a stint which was backdated to July 30.

When the Yankees announced that Happ had contracted hand, foot and mouth disease on July 31, they were hopeful that he’d be able to make his next start last Saturday at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.

Happ wasn’t better in time for that, but it appears as if he’ll back after missing just one start.

Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.