The Blue Jays’ first home game in Buffalo will be played on August 11 against the Marlins, reports Hazel Mae of Sportsnet. Their first “home” games were set to take place July 29-August 2, but those two series will in fact take place in Nationals Park and Citizens Bank Park.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Blue Jays won’t be able to instantly move into their temporary home, as Buffalo’s Sahlen Field will require some modifications in order to accommodate Major League Baseball.
As a result, the Blue Jays will take on the unique circumstance of playing “home” games in their opponent’s ballpark, at least for a few days. This week, the Nationals and Phillies will be designated as visitors in their native ballparks, so expect the cardboard cutouts in Philly to take no prisoners while Bryce Harper’s at bat.
One would imagine the Blue Jays’ early-season schedule becomes that much tougher without a real homestand to fall back on—to say nothing of tough opponents like the Rays and defending champion Nats to open the season, plus the rest of MLB’s East division.
At the very least, Sahlen field should represent some familiarity for many of the team’s young players, who would’ve passed through Triple-A Buffalo while climbing the Jays’ minor-league ranks. Still, there might be some challenges in that its facilities aren’t intended for MLB play, though of course work is being done to meet those standards as best as possible.
Teams won’t benefit from the support of fans in the seats, but there’s something to be said for the luxury of waking up in one’s own bed as opposed to a hotel room. Regardless, it will be interesting to watch the Blue Jays’ season play out in their new, temporary home.
The Buffalo Blue Jays. Why ever go back to Toronto? No need.
it really does sound good
Change their name to Wings.
What do you have against Canada?
Toronto is pretty much the nicest city in MLB. No way the Blue Jays would leave there for Buffalo.
Toronto > Buffalo
All day. Every day.
Ha ha ha
Make it even easier. The Buffalo Buffalos. “The third word in our name is plural.” See? There’s even a motto.
Has a good ring to it. Then the tampa rays can move to Vegas so there can be more teams in the west division that play in the pacific time zone. Then move Houston to the central, and either Cleveland or Detroit to back the east.
Move Cleveland and Detroit to East, move Rangers and Astros to central.
Midwest division with Texas and MO Teams.
They could do that, but not enough teams in the west to fill division. And would be uneven. Unless they want it to be 6, 5, 4. But I agree that Texas and Houston should be in the central since they are central time zone.
Since uneven schedules were developed, Texas teams have been hosed.
why am I seeing ads I paid to get rid of?
Fitting that a joke of a season has a joke of an arrangement. Blue Jays players must already be looking forward to the end of the season and must be happy it’s only 2 months.
Jays will play much better in Buffalo than people think. Half the team has minors experience there.
Are we really allowing articles that discuss teams from one country playing their home games in another?
I’m only asking because apparently this website has decided what can be discussed and what can’t, while they allow some trolls to say whatever they want.
Sounds a lot like a possible political discussion and we all know that real life stops whenever some people decide they feel like it.
Huh???
Solutions to problems
Blue Jay’s Buffalo opener… if feel that in the wrong context that could mean something else… what exactly, I’m not sure, but something.
Seriously, what sort of upgrades are really necessary to make it MLB-ready?
Establish a higher-end set of hookers and groupies?
Lights and maybe temporary off-field facilities. Team staffs are different in MLB compared to AAA so there could be some temp offices being made for home and visitors.
They have to upgrade the lights, and at the same time arrange for two clubhouses with enough space to handle 30 socially distanced players, the coaches, and staff. Likely they also have to upgrade the amenities to ML levels – things like weights and lounges.
I think we’re kinda in the same ballpark here.
Huh?