Cubs president Jed Hoyer disappointed some players won’t get COVID-19 vaccine

Chicago Cubs president Jed Hoyer wishes more of the team’s players would get vaccinated.

With the COVID-19 vaccination now being readily available to any adult who wants one in the United States, Chicago Cubs president Jed Hoyer is disappointed that many of his team’s players will not get a shot.

Hoyer is extremely doubtful the NL Central club will get over the 85-percent vaccination threshold. Doing so would eliminate some of the COVID-19 restrictions in place. He believes not doing so puts his team at a competitive disadvantage. While that is unequivocally true, Hoyer is not going to make roster decisions based on one’s vaccination status or not. He just has to do deal with it.

While third baseman Kris Bryant has said previously that he was glad to have gotten the vaccine, two of his teammates in starting pitcher Jake Arrieta and infielder Eric Sogard have been the most vocal about not getting one.

Chicago Cubs: Jed Hoyer wishes more of the team would get vaccinated

While everybody has their right to make the decision that is best for them and their family when it comes to getting vaccinated, baseball is a business and not being able to eclipse the 85-percent COVID-19 vaccination threshold will put teams like the Cubs at a competitive disadvantage. Only five teams are getting into the postseason out of the NL this year, and stakes are incredibly high.

Ultimately, there will be teams in any number of sports leagues who will either eclipse their respective vaccination thresholds or will come up short. Once the pandemic ceases to be, anybody will be able to look back on the data and see how much of a competitive disadvantage it was for those teams that did not meet their league’s COVID-19 vaccination restrictions threshold.

Hoyer is right to feel disappointed about it, just as much as he cannot let it impact roster moves.