Unvaccinated Players Will Not Be Allowed Into Canada For Games Against Blue Jays

The Canadian border remains closed to unvaccinated visitors –, and that includes unvaccinated baseball players. This will likely cause some issues when the baseball season begins.

The Red Sox do not play in Toronto until April 25, when they have a four-game series. At that time, assuming Canada's policy does not change, any unvaccinated players will be placed on the restricted list and will not accompany the team. They will not be paid and will not accrue service time for those games, according to the new CBA.

Jennings describes the Red Sox (one of seven teams who did not reach MLB's 85% vaccination threshold last season) as "among the least-vaccinated teams in the majors last year". Xander Bogaerts*, J.D. Martinez and Chris Sale were among the Red Sox players who refused to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Matthew Kory (Sox Outsider) notes that Canada's decision "makes sense. Why import Covid if you don't have to?" He cites Joshua Howsam's tweet:

Well, they have a nice, simple choice: get a free shot that helps prevent the spread of a rampant virus or hurt their team while they lose service time and money.

If the Red Sox have to leave two of their best hitters at home when they visit the Blue Jays because they stubbornly refuse to take common sense guidelines against a virus that had killed more than one million Americans, how will that sit among the players who did the right thing, both for themselves, their families, and their teammates? And if Red Sox end up not making the postseason, perhaps in part to going 3-7 (for example) in Toronto how will that look and be accepted?

*: According to this New York Times article, Bogaerts is now vaccinated.

The article also reports that unvaccinated members of the Yankees and Mets will not be able to play in any home games this season.

Under a New York City regulation enacted on Dec. 27, people who perform in-person work or interact with the public in the course of business must show proof that "they have received a COVID-19 vaccine." The proof of vaccination must show that a worker is fully vaccinated, has received a single-dose vaccine or, if only the first shot of a two-dose vaccine has been administered, then there must be evidence of a plan to receive the second dose within 45 days of the first.

The mandate "grants an exception for visiting professional athletes and anyone who accompanies them, along with performing artists and college athletes".

The Red Sox begin the season in New York on April 7, three weeks from this Thursday.

It was reported last year that Aaron Judge was not vaccinated. When he was asked about his status yesterday, Judge refused to answer -- which most likely means he's still unvaccinated:

I'm so focused on just getting these first games of spring training so I think we'll cross that bridge when the times comes. But right now, so many things could change. So I'm not really too worried about that right now.

Yeah, he's so focused, he can't take a one-half of a second to say "Yes" to whether he is vaccinated. Such dedication to his craft (i.e., hanging out on the injured list).

Like the Red Sox, the Mets were among the six teams (a link above states it was seven teams; amazingly, later in this same Times article, the number is also given as 10 teams!) that did not reach MLB's vaccination threshold of 85% which allowed teams to loosen pandemic protocols.

I don't follow basketball at all, so I'm amazed to learn that Kyrie Irving (unvaccinated) of the Brooklyn Nets has played in only 19 of his team's 69 games this season, being allowed to play only in cities with no vaccine mandate.

I am having difficulty imaging the utter shitstorm if Judge refused to get vaccinated and was unable to play in any of his team's home games. I'd love to see it, though.

Boo: Gary Maniloaf got traded to the Twins.