Whit Merrifield traded to Blue Jays, reevaluated vax status

Whit Merrifield is heading to Toronto. Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Royals trading Whit Merrifield to Blue Jays forces him to reevaluate vaccination status

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 8/2/22

The Kansas City Royals have traded one of their best players, Whit Merrifield, to the Toronto Blue Jays.

It's a sign that the Royals, currently the third-worst team in the American League, have decided to basically give up on 2022 and move on to the future. The opposite can be said for the Jays, though, who add one of the better second basemen in baseball to a team currently battling with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros at the top of the AL.

Sources confirm: Whit Merrifield to Blue Jays.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 2, 2022

The interesting tidbit surrounding this trade is the fact that Merrifield couldn't play for the Royals in Toronto earlier this season because he hadn't received a vaccination against COVID-19.

Canada requires all visitors to the country to be vaccinated, which left Merrifield and several teammates with no choice but to stay back at home for a recent away series against Toronto.

Now that his home field is the Rogers Centre, though, it appears Merrifield will re-visit his stance against vaccination.

The #BlueJays grab Whit Merrifield from the #Royals. Merrifield was not vaccinated two weeks ago, but apparently has changed his mind.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 2, 2022