Aaron Boone says Yankees are ready and able to travel to Toronto
Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on from the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Baltimore. Credit: AP
DETROIT — According to Aaron Boone, the Yankees appear to be in the clear for their series in Toronto early next month when it comes to vaccinated players.
“Yes,” Boone said Tuesday, asked directly if he anticipated having “everybody” he would want to have available to him for the May 2-4 series at Rogers Centre.
As of spring training, the Yankees had a small handful of players who had decided against getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
That wasn’t a concern for the season-opener April 7 at the Stadium as New York City, shortly before the opener, lifted its vaccine regulations.
But a Canadian law that goes back to last year — and one that the government didn’t budge on when it came to visiting hockey teams — states that anyone entering the country must be vaccinated at least 14 days before coming in. The Yankees are scheduled to arrive in Toronto the night of May 1 after playing a game earlier that day in Kansas City. That made late Sunday night a de facto deadline for everyone on the traveling party to be vaccinated.
“I think we’re going to be in a good spot, that’s my understanding,” Boone said Tuesday, asked a follow-up question about having a “fully” vaccinated active roster. “My understanding is we’re going to be OK.”
When asked about the topic early in spring training, Boone said he would talk with the unvaccinated players on his roster if he thought it necessary.
“If it’s something that becomes an issue, yeah, I would have conversations with guys," Boone said on March 14. "I have people in my life that make choices on both sides. And I understand it’s one of those things that’s kind of polarized us, unfortunately, as a nation, as a world. So I’ll certainly communicate with our guys, but in the end, it’s a personal decision."
