Vaccine Resistance in Chicago Cubs Clubhouse Blocks Them From Attaining Certain MLB Advantages

In a special report in The Athletic, Chicago Cubs Manager David Ross talks about the anti-vaccine stance many players in his clubhouse have professed.

"Everybody just has their own things that they believe."

As the Cubs prepare to fully reopen Wrigley Field, vaccine resistance in their clubhouse isn’t changing.

More: https://t.co/eEi5ZNW3u3 pic.twitter.com/x03rG0FkLy
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 9, 2021

"It's not the easiest conversation to have with guys," says Ross. "Everybody just has their own things that they believe."

The result is that the Cubs won't make the 85% Covid-19 vaccination threshold required to be eligible for certain protocol loosening from MLB. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer calls it a "competitive disadvantage" for the team.

Fans around the league have noticed too.

"When a Cubs player was announced last weekend at Oracle Park, a fan yelled out: 'Get vaxxed!'” https://t.co/uH3GIUMJO0
— N2P (@nepa_2_philly) June 9, 2021

But Ross points out that these are all very personal choices that need to be respected.

Chicago Cubs will have to live with COVID-19 protocols for a while, but David Ross says not to judge his players: ‘These are the choices these guys made’ https://t.co/yExObuDQYG #Cubsessed #iamCubsessed #ChicagoCubs pic.twitter.com/eklG1ovbFa
— Cubsessed (@CubsessedCubFan) June 9, 2021

22 of the 30 teams around the major leagues have reached the 85% threshold.

In the meantime, with the recent lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in the city of Chicago, this Friday will mark the re-opening of Wrigley Field to full capacity for the first time since the pandemic hit. A series with the Cardinals, no less!