Major League Baseball returns to New York City in 23 days, but not every player may be able to take the diamond.
Under current city guidelines, Yankees and Mets players who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 would not be allowed to play home games. The private sector workplace requirement is the same one that has kept Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving from playing games at Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden.
“The policy remains in place, we look at the data every single day and listen to the advice from public health experts,” a City Hall spokesperson said, via The New York Post. “We cannot speak for what will happen in a month but the private sector mandate is today in place.”
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The Mets were one of six MLB teams that did not reach an 85% vaccination threshold that allowed relaxed protocols last season. While the Yankees surpassed that number, the team was known to have several key players who were not vaccinated.
On Tuesday, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge declined to say if he is vaccinated.
Yankee Stadium and Citi Field are not the only MLB venues where unvaccinated Yankees and Mets would be affected. Unvaccinated MLB players are not allowed to travel to Canada to face the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre and will not be paid for those games.
In total, 92 Yankees games are at those venues: 81 home games, nine at Rogers Centre and two at Citi Field. The Mets would be affected by 83 games: 81 at home and two at Yankee Stadium.
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The Yankees begin their season at home on MLB’s new Opening Day, April 7, against the rival Boston Red Sox.
The Mets, meanwhile, have a seven-game road trip to begin their season. The team will have its home opener on April 15 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.