Assuming they can 'safely accommodate,' the Pirates are open to letting the BlueJays host games at PNC Park.
Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi later confirmed Mackey’s report, while Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-SmithIf PNC Park is suitable, the Blue Jays and Pirates will haveThe Blue Jays were informed on Saturday by the federal government that they will not be allowed to play home games at the Rogers Centre in Toronto due to the frequent travel over the Canada-U.S. border that the 60-game schedule would require.
Two other sites being considered are Sahlen Field in Buffalo, home to the Blue Jays’ triple-A affiliate, and TD Park at the team’s spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla. Sahlen Field would need lighting and other facility upgrades to be able to accommodate MLB games, while Florida remains one of the larger hotspots for COVID-19 in the U.S.
Some Blue Jays players have said they would prefer to play in an MLB ballpark if possible. On Monday, general manager Ross Atkins confirmed the team has a handful of scenarios it is considering and acknowledged the players’ desire to not play in a minor league park. “It’s evolving and a moving target,” Atkins said. “We want to make sure we have health and safety as a priority. The players’ feedback and their perspective is exceptionally important to us. We’re working very hard with major league baseball to come up with the most viable, realistic, safe options for our team.”
The Blue Jays open the season on July 24 on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays and have their first “home” game on July 29 against the Washington Nationals.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Blue Jays have looked into Pittsburgh's PNC Park as home games site - Sportsnet.caThe Toronto Blue Jays have looked into using PNC Park in Pittsburgh as a site for their 2020 home games, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi can confirm.
Read more »
Report: Toronto Blue Jays exploring playing at Pittsburgh Pirates’ stadium - TSN.caAs the Toronto Blue Jays continue their search for home to play out the 2020 MLB season, the team is exploring playing at the home stadium of the Pittsburgh Pirates, PNC Park, per the Toronto Sun’s Rob Longley.
Read more »
Blue Jays home field plan met every concern except at the federal level - Sportsnet.ca'I'm confident that we satisfied every one of those concerns except for the one that we could not control.' Mark Shapiro explains that Public Health was responsible for leading the process of approval & finding concerns with the BlueJays home field.
Read more »
Feds Reject Blue Jays' Request To Play Home Games In TorontoThey were given permission to train in Toronto but their games will have to find a different venue.
Read more »
Toronto Blue Jays have several options for temporary home in 2020 - TSN.caThe Toronto Blue Jays have to find a place to play 30 home games this season after the federal government rejected their plan to use Rogers Centre on Saturday.
Read more »
Blue Jays strike out in bid to have home games played in Toronto“Of particular concern, the Toronto Blue Jays would be required to play in locations where the risk of virus transmission remains high.”
Read more »