Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez has been placed on the COVID-19 related injury list. Frank Franklin II/Associated Press
BOSTON — Red Sox catcher Christian Vázquez and infielder Jonathan Araúz have been added to the COVID-19 related injury list.
The team announced their additions on Tuesday, a day after catcher Kevin Plawecki and two staffers tested positive for the virus.
Right-handed pitcher Tyler Danish was recalled from Worcester and Boston selected the contract of outfielder Rob Refsnyder from the Triple-A farm team to take their places on the roster.
Boston opened a three-game series against Toronto on Tuesday night.
After Sunday’s 8-1 victory over the Twins, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said Boston expected to be without multiple unvaccinated players for an upcoming series at Toronto.
Starting pitcher Tanner Houck told the Boston Globe on Sunday that he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and won’t pitch during the four-game series beginning April 25. He would have been in line to start the second game.
To enter Canada, the Canadian government requires a person must have received a second COVID-19 vaccine dose – or one dose of Johnson & Johnson – at least 14 days prior to entry.
Players sidelined by COVID-19 vaccine issues are not paid and do not accrue major league service time while on the restricted list.
YANKEES: The deadline to get vaccinated in time to pass Canadian border requirements for the COVID-19 vaccine has passed for the Yankees’ first trip to Toronto. The Yankees are still not commenting on the vaccination status of their players, but Manager Aaron Boone suggested that he expects to have his full roster against the Blue Jays.
“I think we’re going to be in a good spot. That’s my understanding,” Boone said Tuesday.
When asked if anything had changed with the two unconfirmed players who were unvaccinated in spring training, Boone again did not answer directly.
“I don’t know the timelines of everything, to be honest. So my understanding is that we’re gonna be OK,” Boone said.
Unvaccinated players were given an exemption last year to travel to Canada and play the Blue Jays. That exemption expired in January and was not renewed. No foreigners are allowed to travel to Canada without being fully vaccinated, meaning having had their final dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or a first shot of Johnson & Johnson 14 days before attempting to enter the country.
The Yankees had several players who were unvaccinated last season, but a few have since received the vaccine. The players and the Yankees have been vague about their status. Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo declined to answer directly about their status this spring. Rizzo, however, said he didn’t think it would be a problem for him.
PADRES: San Diego became the first team to announce a deal for ads on its uniforms, saying that patches with a Motorola logo will be worn on the right sleeves of their jerseys.
The March 10 memorandum of understanding for a new collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players’ association gave the 30 teams the right to sell patch ads on uniforms and sticker ads on helmets. The sides adopted an Aug. 6, 2021, proposal by MLB to amend a section of the Official Baseball Rules which states: “No part of the uniform shall include patches or designs relating to commercial advertisement.”
METS: Outfielder Brandon Nimmo was activated from the COVID-19 injured list but wasn’t in New York’s lineup for a doubleheader opener against the San Francisco Giants.
New York didn’t announce a lineup until roughly 30 minutes before first pitch while waiting to see if outfielders Nimmo and Mark Canha would be cleared from COVID-19 protocols. Canha remained on the injured list.
Nimmo and Canha were placed on the IL prior to the Mets’ home opener last Friday. Bench coach Glenn Sherlock is also away from the team, and Manager Buck Showalter said that Sherlock was “not close” to returning.
ROCKIES: Pitcher Kyle Freeland and his hometown Colorado Rockies agreed to a $64.5 million, five-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for May 24.
A left-hander who turns 29 on May 14, Freeland gets $7 million this season, $10.5 million in 2023, $15 million in 2024 and $16 million each in 2025 and 2026. He has a $17 million conditional player option for 2027, which he could exercise if he pitches 170 or more innings in 2026.
MARINERS: Seattles placed catcher Luis Torrens on the COVID-19 injured list.
Torrens is the second Seattle player to land on the virus list in recent days. Outfielder Mitch Hangier was placed on the COVID-19 list on Saturday after he tested positive.
RANGERS: Three-time All-Star reliever Greg Holland was designated for assignment by Texas after allowing three home runs in his five appearances this season.
The 36-year-old Holland, who made the Opening Day roster after going to spring training on a minor league contract, had a 7.71 ERA in his 4 2/3 innings pitched. The right-hander struck out five and walked one.
Texas made the move before its game in Seattle, clearing a roster spot for No. 1 starter Jon Gray to be activated from the injured list and start the series opener against the Mariners. Gray signed a $56 million, four-year deal with Texas last December after his first seven big league seasons with Colorado.
PITCH CLOCK: Minor league games averaged 2 hours, 39 minutes in the first three days with a pitch clock, down 20 minutes from the prior average this season.
Major League Baseball said that the 132 games with a clock averaged 5.11 runs and 15.9 hits, close to the average of 5.13 runs and 16.1 hits for the 335 games without a clock.
The pitch clock enforcement began Friday and data with the clock included games through Sunday.
WHITE SOX-GUARDIANS POSTPONED: For the second straight day, the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians were postponed by inclement weather and unplayable, cold conditions.
Tuesday’s game was called four hours before the scheduled first pitch, with the decision coming after Guardians Manager Terry Francona and White Sox Manager Tony La Russa met the umpires outside at Progressive Field.
Snow piled up in downtown Cleveland the past two days and temperatures have been in the low 30s.
“Playing tonight, you start to worry about hurting somebody or playing the game when you shouldn’t,” Francona said. “You just do the best you can. It was going to be pretty miserable. To the point where you start to worry about your guys.”
The game will be made up as part of a traditional doubleheader Wednesday, starting at 2:10 p.m. Monday’s postponement will be played as part of a doubleheader on July 12.
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