All Yankees eligible for Toronto series, meet COVID-19 vaccination requirements
Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on from the dugout during the first inning of a game against the Orioles on April 16 in Baltimore. Credit: AP/Julio Cortez
TORONTO — The Yankees were all present and accounted for as they started a big early-season series against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Monday night.
But up until at least a couple of weeks ago, that was in doubt.
As of spring training, the Yankees had a small handful of players who had chosen not to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
There was some concern — though not really inside the organization — about those players being ineligible for the season opener on April 7 at Yankee Stadium, but New York City relaxed its vaccination requirements before Opening Day.
But there was very real concern about the unvaccinated Yankees being able to play in Toronto.
A Canadian law dating to last year — and one that the government didn’t compromise on when it came to visiting hockey teams — declared that anyone entering the country needed to be vaccinated at least 14 days before coming in.
With the Yankees, who were scheduled to arrive in Toronto on the night of May 1, that meant that April 17 was the deadline for everyone in the team’s traveling party to be vaccinated.
Aaron Boone said before the April 19 game in Detroit, “My understanding is we’re going to be OK” in terms of having everyone available, and that was the case Monday.
Boone said in spring training that he would speak with the unvaccinated players on the roster if he thought it necessary. He acknowledged Monday that conversations had taken place, though he didn’t offer more specific information.
“I had some conversations at times with guys,” Boone said. “Just kind of leave it at that.
“I feel strongly that this is very much a personal choice, and certainly whatever happened, I was going to respect whatever choice anyone made in that regard.”
n Gallo still downJoey Gallo, who left Saturday night’s game in Kansas City with tightness in his left groin, sat a second straight game Monday.
Boone said this isn’t a situation in which if this were later in the season, Gallo would be playing.
“I think he would have sat the last couple of days no matter where we were in the season,” Boone said.
There have been no tests as of yet, and Gallo is considered day-to-day.
