Royals without 10 unvaccinated players for series vs. Blue Jays
The Kansas City Royals will be extremely shorthanded for their four-game series against the Blue Jays in Toronto, which begins Thursday.
Ten players on the Royals' 26-man roster won't make the trip because they aren't vaccinated against COVID-19.
Royals players Whit Merrifield, Andrew Benintendi, Hunter Dozier, Cam Gallagher, MJ Melendez, Brady Singer, Brad Keller, Kyle Isbel, Michael A. Taylor and Dylan Coleman will be placed on the restricted list for the four-game series in Toronto, per manager Mike Matheny.
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) July 13, 2022
The 10 players will be placed on MLB's restricted list ahead of the series and won't be paid or accrue service time for missing the games. They'll be replaced with minor leaguers.
"At the end of the day, it's their choice. It's what they decide to do," Royals president of baseball operations Dayton Moore said, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. "And we've always been an organization that promotes and encourages individual choices. ... We're disappointed in some of that, but we realize it's part of the game and part of the world we live in. We're just really looking forward to providing (an opportunity to) these players … who are getting a chance to play in Toronto."
Andrew Benintendi is among those who'll miss the series. The Blue Jays are reportedly interested in acquiring the outfielder, who's one of the Royals' biggest trade chips ahead of the Aug. 2 deadline.
"For me, it was a personal decision. And I'm going to leave it at that," Benintendi told reporters, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic.
Whit Merrifield, who missed the Royals' last four games due to a bruised toe, left the door open to getting the COVID-19 vaccine if he's traded to a contender.
"That's the only reason that I would think about getting it at this point, is to go to Canada," Merrifield said, per Rogers. "(If) something happens and I happen to get on a team that has a chance to go play in Canada in the postseason, maybe that changes. But as we sit here right now, I'm comfortable in my decision."