The Royals opened their four-game collection in opposition to the Blue Jays on Thursday in Toronto with out 10 of their unvaccinated gamers, together with Whit Merrifield. Though Kansas Metropolis obtained off to a fiery begin with a 3-1 win, the 33-year-old utility man stays in sizzling water following his current remarks.
Earlier this week, Whitfield elaborated on his determination to not get vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, which is a requirement to enter Canada. The 2-time All-Star famous he may presumably change his thoughts over the jab relying on a possible future state of affairs.
“Proper or incorrect, I didn’t do it on a whim. It’s been an extended thought course of. As a result of I perceive what Canada has in place proper now. That’s the one motive that I'd take into consideration getting it at this level, is to go to Canada,” Merrifield stated, in response to Anne Rogers of MLB.com.
“That may change down the highway. One thing occurs and I occur to get on a workforce that has an opportunity to go play in Canada within the postseason, perhaps that modifications. However as we sit right here proper now, I’m comfy in my determination, my teammates assist me, assist the remainder of the fellows in right here who've made that call, and that’s that.”
Merrifield’s feedback sparked some backlash, with Royals president Dayton Moore sharing Thursday on “The Program” with Soren Petro that he was “very disillusioned” by what he heard.
“It’s very tough at instances to articulate emotions and feelings. Typically, it simply comes out incorrect. Once I first heard that, I used to be very disillusioned. Fairly disgusted, honestly,” Moore stated.
Moore additionally revealed that Merrifield expressed regret within the aftermath.
“As I start to speak with Whit about that, he made it very clear he was sorry for a way that got here out,” Moore continued. “I've to simply accept that and transfer on. I’m not going to kick him when he’s down, as a result of I do know what Whit Merrifield has meant to our workforce, the nice work that he does on this group and I simply assume it was a really poor alternative of phrases.”
Moore later added, “It’s unlucky, however we obtained to attempt to transfer on from it. Whit will get a possibility to debate that assertion in some unspecified time in the future in time.”
Merrifield, who made his main league debut with the Royals in 2016, is slated to be a free agent after subsequent yr. Previous to this week’s controversy, The Submit’s Jon Heyman reported in late June how the Royals are speaking “extra severely” about Merrifield in commerce discussions than prior to now, in response to a rival exec.
On Thursday, Heyman additionally reported that the Yankees — who at the moment lead the AL East — are unlikely to proceed their pursuit of Merrifield’s teammate, Andrew Benintendi, attributable to his vaccination standing.
Benintendi additionally missed the journey to Toronto, the place the Royals improved to 36-53 on Thursday.
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