Rays reliever Raley to miss Canada trip over vaccine issue

NEW YORK (AP) — Tampa Bay reliever Brooks Raley will miss the Rays' five-game, four-day series at Toronto because players must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter Canada.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday that Raley will be the only player not making the trip.

Raley will lose $93,407 of his $4.25 million salary during the series, which runs from Monday to Thursday. He forfeited the same amount when he missed the Rays' first series at Toronto this year, from June 30 to July 3, bringing his total loss to $186,814.

A 34-year-old left-hander, Raley is 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA and six saves in 52 appearances this season.

Unvaccinated foreigners cannot enter Canada. MLB and the players' association agreed that players unable to enter the country be placed on the restricted list, where they are not paid and do not accrue major league service time.

Rays reliever Ryan Thompson, on the restricted list for the the first trip, is on the injured list with right triceps inflammation.

Tampa Bay has just two trips to Toronto this year because of an April series that was postponed by the lockout.

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