Covid-19 Vaccination Rules Come Into Focus For New York Yankees And Brooklyn Nets

Friday was the second anniversary of the NBA shutting down and other sports following suit due to the World Health Organization declaring Covid-19 a pandemic.

It also was the first full day of business being able to return to normal in baseball following a lengthy protracted lockout that was imposed by owners on Dec. 2 that resulted in the season being threatened and ultimately delayed by a week.

It also was a day of a key announcement for any team making a trip to play the Toronto Blue Jays that could have playoff race implications and financial impacts on certain players. Since the Canadian government requires a person to have received a second vaccine dose or one dose of Johnson & Johnson at least 14 days prior to entry.

For players impacted by the rule, it means they will go on the restricted list, be unpaid and not accumulate any service team. That means any unvaccinated players on AL East teams could lose nine or 10 days.

“It’s a concern,” MLBPA head Tony Clark said Friday. “I think as everyone knows — appreciate and respect the decisions that are made, particularly in regard to player health and community health. But that is an issue, as one in the pandemic itself, that we’re navigating domestically, that we’re going to have to continue to try to work through here moving forward.”

It also could be a concern for the Yankees. While it’s unknown which players are unvaccinated, it is known that some are not.

That became clear July 15 when the Yankees saw a game postponed with the Red Sox postponed following positive COVID-19 tests for vaccinated pitchers Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Wandy Peralta. At that point, Cashman was grateful for the vaccines but also noted there were some who were not.

On Sunday, the issue was discussed when the Yankees began reconvening for the first day of spring training and manager Aaron Boone had some concerns.

“It will be interesting, to say the least how that situations unfolds,” Boone told reporters in Tampa. “I think we still have a few guys at least that aren’t vaccinated, so we’ll be monitoring that situation closely and see how that plays out. But yeah, it’s a concern.”

It will become even more of a concern when May 2 rolls around and it is revealed what player or players are placed on the restricted list.

Boone’s concerns were not the only time the vaccine issue involved a New York team Sunday. A few hours after Boone spoke, the ongoing saga of Kyrie Irving being ineligible for Brooklyn Nets home games due to his vaccination status continued.

The saga took a new turn this weekend when rules loosened slightly to allow him to enter the Barclays Center as a spectator but not work in the building as the point guard for a team trying to avoid a play-in game in the crowded Eastern Conference.

Irving showed up to watch Duke lose to Virginia Tech in the ACC title game Saturday night and then with about four minutes left in the second quarter and in the midst of Kevin Durant’s dynamic 53-point showing against the Knicks, he strolled in to courtside seats opposite Brooklyn’s bench.

Before this week anyone entering Barclays Center needed to show proof of vaccination via a vaccine card or a photo of it on the phone. That mandate was lifted by New York City Mayor Eric Adams but despite the change, the mandate remains in place for those working in the building except for visiting players, a fact that frustrates the Nets and seemed to be among the reasons James Harden is plying his trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The frustration took centerstage hours after Boone expressed his concern when Durant criticized the policy after the most productive of his 76 regular season games in Brooklyn was highlighted by his tiebreaking 3-pointer over RJ Barrett in the final minute.

“It’s ridiculous,” Durant said. “I don’t understand it at all. I don’t get it. It just feels like, at this point now, somebody’s trying to make a statement or point to flex their authority. Everybody out here is looking for attention. That’s what I feel like the mayor wants right now, some attention. He’ll figure it out soon. He better.

“It didn’t make any sense. There are unvaxxed people in this building already. We got a guy who can come into the building. Are they fearing our safety? I don’t get it. We’re all confused. Pretty much everyone in the world is confused at this point. Early on in the season, people didn’t understand what was going on but now, it just looks stupid. Hopefully Eric, you got to figure this out.”

Sunday was a pleasant day for the Yankees and Nets.

The Yankees enjoyed the first day of a delayed spring training while the Nets enjoyed being witnesses to Durant’s terrific game over the Nets. Then came the delicate topic of vaccinations on the two-year anniversary of the world starting to shut down and it grew to concerns that could impact baseball and NBA playoff races.