Whit Merrifield has to get vaccinated after trade to Toronto Blue Jays

Whit Merrifield said that he would get vaccinated if he was traded to a contender. The former Kansas City Royals infielder has to now that he is heading to the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to Mark Feinsand from MLB.com, Merrifield is heading to Toronto. In exchange, the Royals are receiving minor league infielder Samad Taylor and reliever Max Castillo.

Whit Merrifield hypocrisy on display in Toronto Blue Jays trade

This is a trade that the Blue Jays needed to make. Cavan Biggio has been a major disappointment while Santiago Espinal has been ice cold after a hot start to the season. Merrifield may not be the player he was in years past, but his .240/.290/.352 batting line with six homers and 23 doubles in 420 plate appearances, with 15 steals, would certainly play in that lineup.

It also highlights his hypocrisy and the issues with the Royals. Merrifield was one of ten players unable to travel to Toronto for the Royals earlier in the year because he was unvaccinated. He had said that the time that he would get the vaccine if he was traded to a contender, a direct shot at the Royals at the time.

Now, he does not have a choice. The Blue Jays will see to it that he has the vaccine, especially now that he will be a part of their postseason hopes. Chances are, he was in the process of getting vaccinated as the trade was happening. But it is too late to help the Royals.

At the end of the day, the Royals were never going to make the playoffs. Even if Merrifield, Andrew Benintendi, and the other players were vaccinated, it would not have mattered. But it shows the lack of commitment both the players and the Royals have to building a contending team. Hopefully, he does not infect a Blue Jays team that is eyeing a deep postseason run.

Whit Merrifield has been acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays. So much for his objections to getting the vaccine that he had in Kansas City.