Yankees & Red Sox To Be Missing Key Players When Playing in Toronto This Season

The Toronto Blue Jays have suffered from the pandemic more than any other team in the majors these past two years. Forced from their home at Rogers Centre, the Jays were traveling vagabonds for 2020 and 2021, playing in minor league stadiums in Dunedin, Florida and Buffalo, NY. until spending August and September back in Toronto.

Now that they're finally able to play full-time in T.O., it appears that some of their divisional opponents will still be suffering the effects of the pandemic when they arrive at Rogers Centre. According to reports, several key players from the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox remain unvaccinated, and would not be able to play in Canada if existing vaccine mandates aren't changed. 

Yankees would miss a chunk of the middle of their order if unvaccinated players can’t play in Toronto. Red Sox would be missing many more players. https://t.co/fzNtoRIdLo

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 13, 2022

According to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, "a chunk of the middle of (the Yankees) order" would be unable to play, as well as "many more players" from the Red Sox.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone is already concerned. “It will be interesting, to say the least how that situation unfolds,” Boone said Sunday. “I think we still have a few guys at least that aren't vaccinated, so we'll be monitoring that situation closely and see how that plays out. But yeah, it's a concern.

"If it's something that becomes an issue," added Boone, "yeah I would have conversions with guys. But ultimately it's something that I do look at as a personal choice. I understand it's one of those things that's kind of polarized us unfortunately as a nation, as a world."

The Canadian government currently requires anyone entering the country to have received a second vaccine dose — or one dose of Johnson & Johnson — at least 14 days prior to entry.

Wonder how Kyrie Irving feels about all this? 

Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports