MLB Rumors: Teams Not Deterred By Andrew Benintendi’s Vaccination Status

This year’s Major League Baseball trade deadline figures to be a busy one between Juan Soto and Andrew Benintendi being on the trading block.

Benintendi, in his second season with the Royals, has been garnering interest from several teams as he continues to have success in Kansas City. The Blue Jays were among the reported teams looking to add Benintendi to their roster, but some thought his vaccination status may keep them away.

But according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, that’s not the case, for some teams at least.

“It appears that Andrew Benintendi’s vaccination status is not having an impact on his trade market,” Feinsand on Friday tweeted. “According to sources, multiple teams — including some in the AL East — are interested in acquiring the All-Star outfielder from the Royals.”

Benintendi is unvaccinated against COVID-19 and would be unable to play in Canada due to the country’s vaccine mandate. So he’d be unable to play in home games for Toronto should he be traded to the Blue Jays or as a visitor should he land elsewhere in the division.

Regardless of whether the Blue Jays are one of those teams in the American League East, it certainly makes you wonder what other teams in the division are looking into Benintendi, who was traded by the Boston Red Sox in 2020.

Benintendi certainly would be a nice fit for any AL East team and provide a nice bat to anyone’s lineup, it’s just a matter of who will have the best trade package to acquire the 2018 World Series champion.