Rays Land in Toronto Without Unvaccinated Relievers Brooks Raley, Ryan Thompson

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have landed in Toronto, set to start a critically important five-game series over four days against the Blue Jays, their American League East rival.

You'd like to think it's all hands on deck for the Rays, because even though it's just the last day of June, this series has huge playoff implications. But the Rays are going into battle with two key relief pitchers unavailable because Brooks Raley and Ryan Thompson have chosen to remain unvaccinated, and are not allowed to enter Canada.

They will miss all five games, including a Saturday doubleheader where ever bullpen arm will likely be needed. They won't be paid for the time missed, per the collective bargaining agreement, and they can be replaced on the the roster by the Rays for this series. Those roster moves have yet to be announced.

This is just the latest in the two-year fight with the COVID-19 pandemic. Surely, it's not nearly as bad now, but COVID still exists and Canada has been at the forefront in keeping its citizens safe. That's why they've been far more restrictive during the pandemic than the U.S. has.

More than 1 million people have died from COVID in the U.S. since the pandemic has started in March of 2020, including more than 75,000 people in Florida. In Canada, which is only recently moving out of a serious lockdown that severely restricted travel in and out of the country, only 42,000 people have died.

They still require that all people coming into the country are fully vaccinated, and it was an issue for a dozen or so players during the recently concluded NBA season who weren't allowed into Canada.

The same has happened with baseball players, and occasionally it has made national news. Just this week, a big deal was made when the Boston Red Sox blew a ninth-inning lead to the Blue Jays in Toronto, largely because Boston closer Tanner Houck was back home on his couch, watching the game on TV because he is unvaccinated. (Rookie center fielder Jarren Duran missed the trip, too.)

The Boston media has roasted Houck in a big way for not being vaccinated. The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy said: "Most richly-deserved loss ever. Anti-vax Sox closer is back in Boston enjoying personal freedom, while Sox pen blows 5-4 lead in the 9th. Pen never got an out in the ninth. Sox are 2-7 vs. Jays, 7-16 vs. AL East. But everybody evidently ok with Tanner Houck quitting on team. Let’s be clear: Houck chose to abandon his teammates. His personal freedom is more important.''