MESA, Ariz. — No Canada?
No problem for the Cubs when it comes to their decision-making on free agents who may not be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Team president Jed Hoyer said vax status hasn’t been a factor in the Cubs’ targets as they scramble, with the rest of the league, in filling out rosters after the lockout — even as a related travel restriction looms in August with a series scheduled in Toronto.
“I think there probably are teams out there that have a disproportionate number of games that could be impacted by it, and they might be thinking about it,” said Hoyer, whose team was among the least-vaccinated in the majors last year.
“In our particular situation, no.”
After two years of COVID-related shutdowns, safety protocols and vaccine rules, most of MLB is operating under a largely post-COVID
With two big exceptions: Canada and New York.
MLB
Canada does not allow unvaxed visitors across its border, including baseball players traveling to play the Blue Jays, a restriction MLB and the union are discussing how to handle.
Early reports after the collective bargaining agreement was ratified last week suggested MLB would place players not allowed into Canada on the restricted list for affected series (which means not being paid for that time).
Cubs union rep Ian Happ said Tuesday he has not heard any resolution on that as the players and the league continue to hammer out this year’s pandemic rules.
RELATED: Happ: Canada's vaccine mandate subject of ongoing talks
Meanwhile, the Mets and Yankees will not be allowed to field unvaxed players in home games this season because of the same New York private-sector employer mandate that prevented Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving from playing home games during the basketball season, the New York Daily News reported Tuesday.
As with the MLB’s plans regarding the Canadian restriction, players missing those games would not be paid or earn service time for the games lost because of the mandate, the Daily News said.
Because the mandate covers those who work for the city’s employers, visiting players are not subject to the same restrictions.
The Yankees. who would be the team most adversely impacted because of three scheduled series in Toronto, were “working with City Hall and all other appropriate officials on this matter,” according to a team statement.