Socked: Unvaccinated Boston Players Set To Miss Series With Blue Jays

Though the rest of the world has largely moved on from COVID, Canada is still acting like it’s March 2020. Because of the lingering mandate nonsense up north, several Red Sox players may have to miss a four-game series with Toronto, which commences a week from today.

The reason? They’re not vaccinated.

Per the Canadian dictatorship, also known as the Canadian government, anyone entering Canada must be double vaccinated or have had one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine two weeks prior to entering the country.

Those rules, equal parts strict and silly, will keep starting pitcher Tanner Houck and a handful of unnamed Red Sox in Boston, while the rest of the team battles the Blue Jays.

“I think it’s a personal choice for everyone whether they get it or not,” Houck told the Boston Globe. “So, that’s all I really got to say on it.”

Houck, who was on the mound for Boston’s 4-0 win over Minnesota on Saturday, was slated to start next Tuesday in Toronto. Instead, he’ll be placed on the restricted list, which means he cannot travel or play with the team, that he will not be paid, and that he will not accrue service time for the missed games.

“I’m definitely bummed that I won’t be able to make that start,” Houck said, via the Boston Globe. “But the starts that I am able to make, I plan on giving 100 percent for this team, if not more so. Anything I can do for this team to help them win, I’ll do it.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed Sunday that several other unnamed Sox players besides Houck will also be held back, offering few details to the Globe: “We knew it beforehand, so we’ll plan accordingly.”

Undermanned and unamused, Boston is now likely to give COVID-crazed Canada, and specifically the Blue Jays, their best shot.

Follow along on Twitter: @OhioAF