CINCINNATI — The Cardinals will go into Toronto for a two-game, interleague series beginning on Tuesday without, inarguably, their best two players.
Corner All-Stars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, the Gold Glove first baseman and third baseman, respectively, and the meal ticket 3-4 hitters in the lineup, will not be allowed in Canada because they have not been vaccinated for COVID-19, John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations said Sunday morning via Zoom.
Goldschmidt, leading the National League in batting average at .333, has 22 homers and 74 runs batted in after knocking in two runs with two hits in Saturday’s 6-3 victory here over Cincinnati. Arenado had three hits on Saturday to raise his average to .299 with 18 homers and 59 RBIs.
The two will re-join the Cardinals for a three-game series next weekend in Washington but their absences will be felt. They are among the most prominent players from one team to miss a series in Toronto.
Backup catcher Austin Romine also isn't vaccinated and will miss the trip. All three players will be placed on he restricted list and not be paid while they are away from the team.
Arenado said one of the reasons he had not been vaccinated was because he and his wife wanted to start a family. Both he and Goldschmidt will be available to the media after Sunday’s game.
The Cardinals have several players from Memphis who have been brought up to go to Toronto. Catcher Ivan Herrera, utilityman Cory Spangenberg and outfielder Conner Capel will be added to the roster to replace the three affected by the COVID rules.
The CDC notes that, although the vaccines for COVID were "developed quickly, research and development" on similar vaccines "have been underway for decades." The group also says: "Hundreds of millions of people in the United State have safely received COVID-19 vaccines."
