Blue Jays hitters will have a great opportunity to hit their bats during their next series, Tuesday through Thursday, in Toronto against the Chicago White Sox, as they won't be able to count on the services of pitchers Dylan Cease and Kendall Graveman.

Both men were simultaneously placed on Major League Baseball's restriction list. The Illinois organization did not disclose the exact reasons for the move, suggesting they were not vaccinated against COVID-19, a prerequisite for crossing north of the Canada-US border .

Cease is having quite the start to the season for the White Sox. In 10 starts, he went 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA. But it's his 76 strikeouts, the third-highest total in the major leagues, that have many eyes widening.

Graveman, a 31-year-old reliever who started his career with the Blue Jays, is 1-1 with a 2.78 ERA. In 21 appearances on the mound, he made two saves and struck out 19 opponents.

The White Sox have thus recalled right-handed pitcher Kyle Crick from their AAA branch in Charlotte to make up for the temporary loss of these two gunners.