After criticizing Sahlen Field as a potential home for the 2020 Toronto Blue Jays season, the team has now concluded it can’t wait to conclude negotiations to play at Oriole Park and will instead commit to home games in Buffalo, per NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo made the announcement this morning, while other outlets reported industry sources as doing the same. But keep in mind we’ve had several instances where government officials and industry sources reported different outcomes, so take this with a grain of salt until the Blue Jays and MLB make an official announcement–though you must admit Andrew Cuomo is a pretty good source.
The decision to play at the home of their Triple-A affiliate came after the Blue Jays explored playing 1) at Rogers Centre, 2) at PNC Park, 3) splitting time between Oriole Park and Nationals Park, and 4) playing at Oriole Park. In the first two cases, government officials stepped in to stop the plan. In the current situation, time just ran out out on the Blue Jays, with the team’s home opener set for July 29. (That date is likely to be pushed back because the upgrades will not be completed by then; instead, the team is likely to turn a two-day stint in Washington into a four-day run and aim for a July 31 home opener.) The decision gives the Blue Jays and the Buffalo Bisons enough time to upgrade Sahlen Field to what is considered a suitable 2020 MLB venue: better lighting, expanded clubhouse spaces and installation of new workout equipment. Players had opposed the move to Sahlen Field because of the facilities, but with the clock ticking, the Blue Jays didn’t have much of a choice.
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