"For me, I just determined that the potential risks of taking the vaccine outweigh the potential benefits" - Paul Goldschmidt's vaccination preference forces Cardinals to fend off Blue Jays without All-Star 

Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Austin Romine of the St. Louis Cardinals will miss the teams' upcoming series versus the Toronto Blue Jays. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Canada that prevent unvaccinated players from entering the country, the Cardinals will be without three of their key players for the vital series.

This issue has affected most teams that visit Toronto. Players are aware of the laws, but many have made the conscious decision not to take the vaccine for health reasons. "The Athletic" recently interviewed Paul Goldschmidt where made his views clear on the decision.

"For me, I just determined that the potential risks of taking the vaccine outweigh the potential benefits," said Goldschmidt.

The decision by Goldschmidt, Arenado, and Romine comes at a critical stage of the season. The Cardinals are chasing the Milwaukee Brewers for the coveted first-place spot in the National League Central. They are currently two games behind Milwaukee in what looks to be a two-horse race to the finish line.

"All-Star infielders Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt and catcher Austin Romine will not make the trip to Toronto with the team due to Canada’s vaccination rules, Mozeliak tells local media on Zoom. Johan Oviedo has an expired passport and will not be able to travel." - Derrick Goold

St. Louis will have to manage without two of their biggest names.

First baseman Goldschmidt is a seven-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner. He is currently second in the league in OPS (1.036), second in batting average (.335), and sixth in home runs (24).

The Cardinals will be without their leading hitter Paul Goldschmidt for the series against the Blue Jays

Paul Goldschmidt hits a single against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

Nolan Arenado is no slouch himself. The seven-time All-Star is having an exceptional season. He is batting .296/.359/.528 on the season with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs.

Arenado has been a key fixture for the Colorado Rockies and the St. Louis Cardinals over the last decade. It will be tough to match the consistency and output he brings to this lineup.

"It’s just a personal choice, and I’m not trying to do a political stand here or be a spokesperson for this or that," said Arenado.

The Kansas City Royals recently hit the headlines for placing 10 players on the restricted list for their series in Toronto. Although the team was forced to play with numerous minor league players, they were competitive. They lost three of four games but two of those losses were by two runs or less, including a 6-5 heartbreaker where they led in extra innings.

"St. Louis Cardinals' MVP candidates Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado to miss series in Toronto. Lost pay: Arenado:,$384,416 Goldschmidt: $241,758" - Bob Nightengale

Both players will lose a portion of their salary, but that doesn't seem to be a major factor in the decision here.

The team has three upcoming winnable series versus the Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs before they face the New York Yankees.

At this stage of the season, with the Brewers within reach, the Cardinals will need some of their young replacements to step up. Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Austin Romine are not easily replaceable.