Blue Jays' Travis Shaw: Summer bubble 'not an option'
The Toronto Blue Jays were allowed to return up North for spring training 2.0 sessions, as long as players and other club personnel followed strict guidelines. These guidelines involve quarantining inside a bubble at Rogers Centre and the venue's adjoining hotel, largely because the Canadian border remains closed to non-essential travel through at least July 21.
On Friday, reports surfaced that anybody within the Blue Jays who violates those rules could face a $750,000 fine and, potentially, jail time.
Toronto infielder Travis Shaw is at least one player who isn't having this life beyond Opening Day on July 24.
Shaw tweeted his frustrations over the situation:
"We were told two weeks... not all summer," the 30-year-old wrote. All summer is a bit much."
In case his point didn't come across in his first Tweet, he added:
"All summer isn't gonna happen. Not an option."
According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), Shaw deleted the following accompanying tweets:
"Let me be clear. We are on board with the TWO week quarantine. I currently have a PAID for condo a block away from the stadium that I can't use. At no point would I risk public safety or not follow rules. Is it wrong to want to live in a place that I've already paid for [...] to be able to go on a walk (WITH A MASK) to be able to get fresh air, walk to go get takeout food (not eat inside). We aren't looking to party, hit the patios, go out at night, anything like that. Public safety is priority number 1...."
The Blue Jays still don't know where the club will host regular-season games amid the coronavirus pandemic that is worsening throughout portions of the United States. The AP reports Toronto officials hope to have an answer by July 12.
Most expect the Canadian border to remain closed to non-essential travel for the foreseeable future.
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