Despite being Canadian, Texas Rangers pitcher Ryan Dempster missed his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays because he lost his passport.
The team said Dempster did not play because of “personal reasons,” but the Dallas Morning News is reporting the 35-year old did not have his passport, prohibiting him to get through customs.
Dempster has spent the last 8-years with the Chicago Cubs pitching against the National League and has not played in Canada since 2004. The two-time All-Star is a free agent this summer and told Cubs GM Theo Epstein he wanted to be traded to a contender. Dempster exercised his no-trade clause and vetoed a trade to the Atlanta Braves allowing the Rangers to steal him at the trade deadline. Despite Dempster’s rocky summer, he is not blaming Canada.
