Whereas most of the Oakland A’s will get an opportunity to reunite with Matt Chapman in Toronto, a number of aren’t with the staff — virtually assuredly as a result of they continue to be unvaccinated.
Catcher Austin Allen and relievers A.J. Puk and Kirby Snead have been positioned on the restricted listing on Friday, hours earlier than the A’s play the primary of a three-game weekend sequence in opposition to the Blue Jays. Outfielder Stephen Piscotty was additionally positioned on the COVID-19 injured listing, although the staff didn’t say whether or not Piscotty examined constructive or not.
Oakland is including catcher Christian Bethancourt, infielder Drew Jackson and pitchers Ryan Castellani and Zach Logue as substitute gamers.
The Canadian authorities is just not permitting unvaccinated folks to enter the nation with out particular exemptions as of Jan. 15, when the particular exemption athletes had was lower off. Any unvaccinated gamers are positioned on MLB’s restricted listing, the place they gained’t obtain pay or service time for video games missed.
The scheduled sequence in Toronto has been recognized for a while, and the A’s have recognized for the reason that first week of the abbreviated spring coaching that it was more likely to trigger issues for them.
“I feel we all know there are gamers who should not vaccinated, at this level,” Kotsay mentioned on March 16. “We haven’t had the chance to have the dialog. However by way of understanding that, clearly each membership goes to be impacted by this and in the same scenario. I feel the plan can be fashioned as quickly as we are able to.”
Kotsay acknowledged on April 5 that the unvaccinated gamers couldn’t be a part of the staff’s flight into Canada, although he declined to say who they have been on the time. The A’s simply wrapped up a four-game sequence in opposition to the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida earlier than flying throughout the northern U.S. border into Canada.
Whereas the taxi squad from 2020 and 2021 that allowed groups to deliver further gamers with their huge league staff is not any extra, groups can name up replacements in from the minors to hold a full roster.
MLB rolled again lots of its well being and security protocols regarding COVID heading into 2022, however gamers will solely be examined if they're symptomatic or are confirmed to be shut contacts with somebody who did check constructive.
Unvaccinated gamers who're shut contacts or confirmed to check constructive are positioned on the COVID injured listing and need to be quarantined for 5 days, whereas vaccinated gamers who check constructive can come off of the injured listing after two adverse exams.
And because the A’s have been making ready to play with out their unvaccinated gamers, the Mets had a COVID outbreak affect their staff, with former Oakland outfielder Mark Canha reportedly amongst those that examined constructive.
This story can be up to date.