The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this year. The plucky little team that could entered action Sunday at .500 and just 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, a remarkable achievement for a rebuilding squad in the AL East. As they are just a half game behind the Red Sox in the division, they could find themselves out of the basement in short order as well.
The Orioles also have another potential advantage. According to Andy Kostka, every member of their 40 man roster has been vaccinated against COVID.
Baltimore Orioles find another advantage
Normally, this would not be that much of an issue. Restrictions have been lifted stateside and there are plenty of players around the league that are not vaccinated for any number of reasons. It is an interesting stat, but not necessarily one that would be considered a game changer.
The reason why this matters is that the Orioles play in the AL East. Canada is still restricting travel into the country for anyone that is unvaccinated, forcing teams to leave players stateside as they scramble to find replacements in the minors. The Royals infamously had to leave ten players behind when they headed to Toronto.
The Orioles still have five series left against the Blue Jays, two of which are in Toronto. Those games could take on an added importance if the Orioles can continue to hang tough and remain on the periphery of the Wild Card chase. Having their entire roster capable of heading to Canada, especially as they are also close to the Blue Jays in the standings, could make a major impact.
The Baltimore Orioles have done everything they possibly could right this year. Having their entire 40 man roster vaccinated is another victory.