That was the situation when the Red Sox arrived at the Rogers Center in Toronto on Monday. The Sox were without rookie outfielder Jarren Duran (four steals in five attempts) and bullpen ace Tanner Houck, two young stars who have chosen “personal freedom” over helping the team. Both players have refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, making them ineligible to play in Toronto. They seem to be taking a cue from Chris Sale, who’s been on the shelf for two years, but he said he wasn’t vaccinated yet the last time we asked.
Duran has played just 13 games in the majors this year (46 in two seasons) and was an offensive catalyst as the Red Sox swept the Guardians in Cleveland over the weekend. He turns 26 in September and is fighting to stay in the big leagues, but says it’s a “personal decision,” telling MassLive, “I’m still looking into it.”
Dr. Google, without a doubt.
There was a time when a kid would do anything to have a day in the big leagues. Opportunity is now dismissed in the name of personal freedom.
The aforementioned Houck made it clear that he will not take the vaccine, while at the same time saying, “I will do whatever it takes to help us win.” He said his family doesn’t believe in vaccinations.
For what it’s worth, both Duran and Houck clearly have no problem with needles. Both players have more tattoos than Lady Gaga and Harry Styles.
The anti-vaccine Sox have another minor leaguer, outfielder Ryan Fitzgerald, a former independent leaguer who worked his way up to Triple-A Worcester but told the Globe’s Alex Speier, “If I miss my [big league] fired for it [no vaccination], it is what it is. I’m not going to think twice.”
Boston’s anti-vaccine youth have a role model in Sale, who told us last year and again this spring that he is unvaccinated. Sale’s condition has not yet been a factor because he had Tommy John surgery in 2020 and broke a rib while he was rehabbing over the winter. It will be interesting if nothing changes this summer when Sale is presumably pitching and the Red Sox end their regular season with three games in Toronto the last weekend of September.
Canada currently requires all visitors to the country to be vaccinated 14 days prior to entry. Players who don’t get a chance don’t get paid for games they miss in Toronto. They are placed on the restricted list and the team has no power to penalize them. The Red Sox seem afraid of embarrassing Sale, and do their best to avoid acknowledging that his tall left-hander might not be available for big games.
But what happens if Sale returns to the rotation next month and the rules in Canada don’t change? What will it look like if Alex Cora has to line up his other starters at the end of September to make sure Sale doesn’t face Toronto on the final weekend of the regular season (Sale would also not be eligible for potential playoff games in Toronto) ?
Does everyone agree with this?
It has nothing to do with politics or science. It’s a matter of professional athletes being available to compete. How many of you have jobs where there are no consequences when to choose to be unavailable for work?
The Yankees took up the issue in April. All the Yankees players did the team thing.
Not the anti-vaccine Red Sox. Last year, the Red Sox were the only one of ten playoff teams to fail to meet the 85 percent vaccination threshold and now they’re a playoff contender who won’t say anything to offend players who care more about the personal freedom than for his commitment to the team.
I wonder what Ted Williams would think? Willams did not speak of his “personal freedom” when he was called to serve his country in World War II and again in the Korean conflict. Williams flew 39 combat missions in Korea and missed nearly five of his prime seasons while serving his country.
Today the Red Sox have players who care more about their personal freedom than helping the team.
Coming into Monday, the Red Sox had won seven straight, 11 of 13, and were 19-4 in June. They were a season high, 11 games over .500, winning seven straight series.
The Sox trailed, 7-0, through the first five innings on Monday. Outfielder Rob Refsnyder, starting in place of Duran, struck out and walked in his first two trips to the plate.
Back in Boston, Houck and Duran are scheduled to work out together Wednesday at Fenway Park.
Dan Shaughnessy is a columnist for the Globe. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @dan_shaughnessy.
Reference-www.bostonglobe.com