Canadian laws don’t allow unvaccinated athletes to travel to the country: that has been a fact for a while, and hasn’t changed.
MLB teams know, and always knew, that players who aren’t vaccinated for COVID-19 won’t be able to play in Rogers Centre, the home of the Toronto Blue Jays.
They are placed on the restricted list and forfeit pay and service time for as long as the series goes on.
In this case, the Philadelphia Phillies will be missing four players of their regular roster: catcher J.T. Realmuto, third baseman Alec Bohm, and pitchers Aaron Nola and Kyle Gibson.
“The Phillies will put Realmuto, Bohm, Nola and Gibson on restricted list for Toronto. They forfeit pay and service time for two days. Other potential absences were mitigated through demotions to minors / injuries,” The Athletic’s Matt Gelb tweeted.
The Phillies will put Realmuto, Bohm, Nola and Gibson on restricted list for Toronto. They forfeit pay and service time for two days. Other potential absences were mitigated through demotions to minors / injuries.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 11, 2022
The Phillies Will Lose Four Important Players For The Trip
That’s how a 46-41 team, in the middle of a playoff run, loses competitiveness.
Every player deserves to have their own opinion about the disease and how to treat it, but one can’t help but wonder if they know how much they affect their team’s plans with their decision.
According to Gelb, Andrew Bellatti will start tomorrow in Toronto in a bullpen game, their second such game in three days.
The bullpen is going to be gassed by the time the series ends.
Granted, it’s two games, but those two games may end up costing the Phillies in the final standings when all is said and done.
Gelb explained Realmuto’s reasoning behind his decision.
“J.T. Realmuto said he consulted with doctors he knew and decided he did not need a COVID vaccine. He will forfeit close to $260,000. ‘I’m not going to let Canada tell me what I do and don’t put in my body for a little bit of money,’ Realmuto said. ‘It’s just not worth it,'” Gelb tweeted, quoting the star catcher.
J.T. Realmuto said he consulted with doctors he knew and decided he did not need a COVID vaccine. He will forfeit close to $260,000. "I'm not going to let Canada tell me what I do and don't put in my body for a little bit of money," Realmuto said. "It's just not worth it."
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 12, 2022
The Phillies will have to alter their plans to accommodate for the absences.
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