Tanner Houck makes a personal decision not to be there for his team

Boston Red Sox starter Tanner Houck will not be able to face the Blue Jays in Canada due to his COVID-19 vaccination status.

Houck is willing to do anything for this Red Sox team to help them win unless they get a life-saving vaccine that could keep them from contracting and/or spreading a virus, who killed millions of people. In this case, he comes after teammate Chris Sale.

Pedantry aside, one of the Red Sox’s brightest young stars will be unable to travel to Toronto for the team’s series against the Blue Jays due to his COVID-19 vaccination status. He confirmed this in an interview with The Boston Globe.

“I think it’s a personal choice for everyone whether they get it or not,” Houck told the Globe. “That’s all I really have to say about it.”

Tanner Houck COVID-19 vaccination status

Houck used the classic line of most not wanting to get the COVID-19 vaccine, stating it was a personal choice. If this decision affected only Houck, it wouldn’t be a big deal, and I certainly wouldn’t be taking a measured tone in this article.

Unfortunately, the number of Americans vaccinated affects… all Americans. While the pandemic has no doubt alleviated some, we have yet to achieve auditory immunity. A new strain of COVID-19 could set us back a little, and I (along with the rest of you who are no doubt shaking your heads) would rather avoid that sad reality.

“I’m definitely disappointed that I won’t be able to make this start,” said Houck. “But the starts that I can make, I plan to give 100 percent to this team, if not more. Anything I can do for this team to help them win, I will do.”

Anything he can do… except obviously get vaccinated.

Until Canada’s vaccination mandate is lifted, this will be a story in sport. Effective immediately, Houck will be absent from Boston’s Toronto series in late June and late September/early October.

Not to mention the upcoming post-season matchups.