Congrats Blue Jays, You're Officially Florida Residents! Team Announces They'll Open 2021 In Their Spring Training Park
Different baseball season, same issue for the Blue Jays. Because of Canadian travel restrictions, Canada is not allow teams to come into Canada to play the Blue Jays for the time being. Last year they ran into this problem and literally almost went into the shortened season without a home. There were rumors of the Jays playing "home games" in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, their spring training home in Dunedin, FL, and Buffalo. Eventually they made Buffalo their home for the 2020 season after a few upgrades to their AAA stadium. For now they'll be making their home in Dunedin. They'll go until at least early-May playing all their home games there before the Canadian government reassess their status. They can wave to the Raptors since they're still playing all of their games in Tampa currently.
This move makes the most sense, the team and all their equipment are down there now, so they will be limiting the traveling that the players will be doing. The park was also renovated last season and they now have a new state of the art development center for players. So it won't be a big old MLB park like the Rogers Centre, but it's something. It beats them going back to Buffalo where they were last year, or Pittsburgh, or Baltimore. Their spring training home will be more than ready to handle the wear and tear of a MLB team being set up there for an extended period of time. And most importantly it's good that they got this out of the way now so the Jays aren't wondering around homeless a few days before the seasons starts. Guys need to know where they're gonna be for the season, or at least part of it. Now they don't have to worry, can set up camp and get ready for the season. There won't be a mad scramble the last week of spring training to get these up to Buffalo or any other place now, they'll reassess and hopefully be able to play some of their home schedule in Toronto this season. Lets cross our fingers that's the case. Plus, hopefully there is a minor league season and their AAA guys can actually play in their own AAA stadium this season, we need that to happen for sure.
For the meantime, if you're a resident of Dunedin keep your eyes peeled for Vlad Jr, Bo Bichette, and George Springer bombs flying towards your house until the beginning of May.