NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball players who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus won't be allowed to travel into Canada to face the Blue Jays in Toronto and won't be paid for those games.
Canada's government requires a person must have received a second vaccine dose — or one dose of Johnson & Johnson — at least 14 days prior to entry.
The provision that they won't be paid is contained in a side letter agreed to by MLB and the players' association, and was first reported by Boston TV station WCVB.
According to WCVB, those players also won't be credited with service time if they can't play in those games.
Sportsnet columnist Shi Davidi reported that the topic was discussed during discussions of the new CBA between players and owners.
“This was a significant discussion point as players considered [the] CBA yesterday," Davidi said in a tweet. "We’re told a few teams took serious issue with the matter, but ultimately relented.”
Toronto opens at home against Texas on April 8.
The Associated Press reported that the agreement expires at the end of the 2022 season.
