Instead of being a home-field edge, will border rules impact the Blue Jays' ability to trade? - Sportsnet.caLurking in the background all along is the impact the restrictions have had and will have in general manager Ross Atkins’ ability to make trades.
It’s clear by now that the Blue Jays need more swing and miss in the back end of the bullpen (a great deal more, in my opinion) in addition to the kind of impact left-handed bat and balance for which they’ve been searching since the signing of free-agent Michael Brantley fell through two winters ago. I’m not as bothered about adding another starting pitcher at this time. Whatever, Atkins needs to go about his business knowing that the federal border restrictions constitute for some players an effective “no-trade clause,” to Toronto – a clause that can only be removed if the feds either do away with the restrictions or allow some type of waiver.
The MLB trade deadline is 6 p.m. E.T. on Aug. 2. So there’s time.
Atkins doesn’t like to get into the weeds when it comes to answering questions about the logistics of making deals with the border restrictions in place, citing medical privacy issues. Remember: this isn’t only a Blue Jays issue, since teams jockeying for post-season play no doubt realize that they might need to cross the border for the post-season, never mind a key series in Toronto in September.
It’s not determining who is or isn’t vaccinated. All you have to do is ask. But I bounced this theoretical scenario off of one MLB G.M.: What if the Blue Jays have their eyes on a player on your team who is unvaccinated and have a compelling offer on the table that you want to take – an offer that would require you to go to the player and ask him to get vaccinated? I mean, talk about making it obvious to a player that you have an offer for him. And what if the player says ‘Nah, I’m good?’
“It would have to be a case by case thing,” the G.M. said. “I mean, you can’t force a guy to get vaxxed, and if he hasn’t already done so, you’d have to think he’s not likely to get the shot now. And if his family isn’t vaxxed … well, what about them? I guess it would come down to your relationship with the player and his agent, and maybe your ability as a salesman.”
• At this point, it almost seems as if the Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez is just trolling Blue Jays fans. Ramirez, the apple of many an off-season eye in these parts, is, according to friend Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, fiddling with some history with an average of 11.4 at bats per strikeout while being on pace for you-don’t-want-to-know RBIs. As Castrovince notes, since World War II only three players have managed to go 10 at bats between strikeouts and drive in 150 runs: Joe DiMaggio in 1948, Ted Williams in 1949 and – hands up if you nailed this one – Tommy Davis of the 1962 Dodgers.
