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NYC Mayor Adams gives Yankees, Mets an Opening Day gift

By Kevin Henry

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Mayor Eric Adams is seen as New York City raises the Ukrainian flag in support of the people of Ukraine at the Bowling Park in the heart of financial district of New York City, United States on March 23, 2022. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Mayor Eric Adams is seen as New York City raises the Ukrainian flag in support of the people of Ukraine at the Bowling Park in the heart of financial district of New York City, United States on March 23, 2022. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) /
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There has been plenty of buzz about what could happen if members of the New York Yankees and New York Mets couldn’t take the field in home games because of their vaccination status conflicting with COVID-19 policies enacted in the Bronx, Queens, and other boroughs around the New York City metropolitan area.

Now it appears that all of that buzz is about to die down rather quickly.

A decision that will impact players on the New York Mets and New York Yankees is good news for teams hoping to be at full strength for Opening Day

According to reports, New York City mayor Eric Adams plans to announce a decision that will reverse a private-sector vaccine mandate that impacted athletes (as well as other performers) in New York City-area venues, such as Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

The decision is expected to reverse policy course in plenty of time for Major League Baseball’s Opening Day. With the New York Yankees scheduled to host the Boston Red Sox on April 7 as part of MLB’s Opening Day festivities, and the New York Mets playing their first game in Queens just over a week later, the timing of the announcement will ensure that players from both teams who have dodged questions about their vaccination status will be able to play regardless of the number of vaccination injections they have or have not received.

Among the biggest baseball names who will benefit from the reversal is Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who has never officially answered the questions about his vaccination status but has sidestepped the question when asked.

While New York athletes may now be able to play home games, there is still a question for the Yankees about what happens when they travel to Toronto to meet their American League East rivals, the Blue Jays. The Canadian-U.S. border is still closed to those who have not been vaccinated, meaning any players who fall under that description would reportedly be placed on the restricted list and not be allowed to play in the games. They also, while on the restricted list, would not be paid or accrue service time.

The Yankees are first scheduled to travel to Toronto for a three-game series beginning on May 2. Meanwhile, the Mets and Blue Jays do not meet in the 2022 regular season.

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That first series in Toronto, however, is still some time away. The bigger (and more pressing) concern for both the Yankees and Mets was what might happen if vaccination choices from some of their players might have left the team short-handed in home games this season. With the move by Adams, however, those choices will no longer have the consequences in New York-based games.

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