Boston Red Sox starter Tanner Houck will not be able to pitch against the Blue Jays in Canada due to his COVID-19 vaccination status.
Houck is willing to do anything for this Red Sox team to help them win, unless it’s getting a life-saving vaccine that could keep him from contracting and/or spreading a virus which has killed millions of people. In that case, he takes after teammate Chris Sale.
Pedantry aside, one of the Red Sox brightest young stars will not be able to travel to Toronto for the team’s series against the Blue Jays due to his COVID-19 vaccination status. He confirmed this in an interview with The Boston Globe.
“I think it’s a personal choice for everyone whether they get it or not,” Houck told the Globe. “So, that’s all I really got to say on it.”
Tanner Houck COVID-19 vaccination status
Houck used the classic line from most who don’t want to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, stating it’s a personal choice. If that decision only impacted Houck, it wouldn’t be a big deal and I surely would not be taking a measured tone in this article.
Unfortunately, the number of vaccinated Americans impacts…all Americans. While the pandemic has undoubtedly lifted some, we have yet to reach heard immunity. A new COVID-19 strain could set us back a bit, and I (along with the rest of you, surely shaking your heads at me) would rather avoid that sad reality.
“I’m definitely bummed that I won’t be able to make that start,” Houck said. “But the starts that I am able to make, I plan on giving 100 percent for this team, if not more, so. Anything I can do for this team to help them win, I’ll do it.”
Anything he can do…except get vaccinated, evidently.
Until the vaccine mandate is lifted in Canada, this will be a storyline in sports. As of now Houck will not be able to appear in Boston’s series in Toronto in late June and late September/early October.
Not to mention any looming postseason matchups.