Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado Won’t Play in Toronto Due to Vaccine Mandate

St. Louis' two best players will miss the team's next two games vs. the Blue Jays.

Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are the latest players who will be unable to play in Toronto due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said those two players will miss this weekend’s series vs. the Blue Jays.

The two biggest names yet not to make the trip to Toronto because they are not vaccinated against COVID-19: NL MVP candidates Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, who will miss the series this week against the Blue Jays, Cardinals president John Mozeliak told St. Louis media.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 24, 2022

Backup catcher Austin Romine will also miss the trip.

Goldschmidt and Arenado are the biggest names so far to be forced to miss a series in Toronto without a vaccine. The other All-Star to miss a Blue Jays series in Toronto this year was Andrew Benintendi, who was one of 10 Royals who couldn’t play in Canada.

St. Louis will now have to try and win a two-game series vs. a playoff caliber team without their two best players. Goldschmidt and Arenado have compiled 1.019 and .897 OPS, respectively, the only two players on the team with an OPS above .800. Additionally, they have combined for 40 home runs and 133 RBIs on the year.

By missing these two games, Goldschmidt and Arenado will forfeit $285,714 and $384,615, respectively, according to MLB.com’s John Denton. 

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