How Canada ending vaccine entry requirement impacts Blue Jays' playoff push

Over the past two years, the Toronto Blue Jays and their fans have likely become far greater experts on the COVID-19 vaccine than they ever envisioned.

With reports that the federal government will be lifting the vaccine requirement for entry into Canada on September 30, the ripple effects will be felt as the Jays are in the midst of an MLB playoff race.

Canada’s vaccine requirement for entry has sparked a season-long debate as to whether the move is an advantage or a disadvantage for the Blue Jays, with unvaccinated players unable to play at the Rogers Centre this season.

Ultimately, the consensus answer is no, it’s not an advantage: it’s challenged Toronto to get creative with a smaller pool of players to choose to make up their roster. Sure, the odd unvaccinated player here or there might have to miss a series for a visiting team, but the requirement also added additional hurdles and roadblocks to the Toronto front office’s duties this season.

An unvaccinated Blue Jays player would either have to be Canadian and only eligible for home games, or travel exclusively to road games in the United States.

Of course, it’s a ridiculous hassle to have to go through that, which is why every player the Jays have employed this season has been vaccinated.

Blue Jays infielder Whit Merrifield, who was previously unvaccinated, got his vaccine prior to the MLB trade deadline with the possibility of a move to Toronto on the horizon.

Four notable players that can now travel to Toronto (that had to miss trips earlier in the year) include the New York Yankees’ Andrew Benintend, Seattle Mariners’ Robbie Ray and Drew Steckenrider, and Tampa Bay Rays’ Brooks Raley.

Ray, of course, won the AL Cy Young with Toronto last season before the COVID-19 vaccine entry requirement was in place, but it was virtually impossible for the Jays to re-sign him due to his choice not to get vaccinated, and he missed Seattle’s trip to Toronto this past May.

Another high-profile player reportedly vaccinated due to playing in the same division as Toronto is the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who at 60 homers is one off of of the American League record.

And as many people like to point out, the US also has a vaccine requirement for entry via air travel, it just became more apparent with Toronto being the only cross-border matchup in the MLB.

As of press time, Toronto’s magic number is eight, meaning it’s likely just a matter of time before the Blue Jays clinch a spot in the MLB postseason, as they sit 6.5 games up on Baltimore, while also being currently ahead of both Tampa Bay and Seattle in the wildcard standings.

If the standings currently hold, Toronto would host all games in a best-of-three wildcard series, kicking off on October 7.

You might also like:
• 4 things to watch in Blue Jays' final 15-game push to the playoffs