The Toronto Blue Jays were going to have an advantage at home this entire MLB season because teams heading north of the border to visit Rogers Centre aren't allowed to bring players who are unvaccinated for COVID. The most players a team had lost so far had been four… but Kansas City will down a whopping 10 when it opens a series at the Blue Jays tonight. The Royals are mammoth +300 underdogs at Caesars Sportsbook.
Out for the ser ies are All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi, super-utilityman Whit Merrifield, catcher MJ Melendez, first baseman/outfielder Hunter Dozier, right-hander Brad Keller, right-hander Brady Singer, center fielder Michael A. Taylor, outfielder Kyle Isbel, reliever Dylan Coleman and catcher Cam Gallagher. Merrifield wasn't going to play anyways as he's hurt; his streak of 553 consecutive games played, which had been longest active in the majors, ended early this week. Former All-Star catcher Salvador Perez is also on the injured list.
Benintendi, who leads the team with a .317 average and is likely to be traded by the Aug. 2 deadline, Melendez, Dozier, Taylor and Isbel play every day for the most part. Edward Olivares is the only vaccinated primary outfielder on the Royals' roster right now. Keller was lined up to pitch Saturday. Coleman is 2-1 with a 3.13 ERA in 38 appearances out of the bullpen.
Players who go on the restricted list will lose pay and service time for four days. Merrifield said he would think about getting the vaccine in the future because of his desire to play in the postseason in case of a series in Toronto – the Royals aren't making the playoffs, but Merrifield could be traded. The team will also be without some coaches, although names have not been revealed.