WIN-WIN SITUATION Blue Jays finally coming home as Ray deals bats go wild in rout of Rangers
Author of the article:
Frank Zicarelli
Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays makes a diving catch to get out Nick Solak of the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning at Sahlen Field on July 16, 2021 in Buffalo, New York. Photo by Joshua Bessex /Getty Images Article content The Blue Jays are coming home to their familiar surroundings at the Rogers Centre.
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Article contentThe young and highly entertaining team, led by freshly minted all-star game MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr., will be back in Toronto on July 30 after receiving a National Interest Exemption from the federal government on Friday.
It has been a long and arduous process for a team forced to play “home†games in Dunedin and Buffalo in the midst of a pandemic.
The Jays haven’t played a real home game since September 2019, but they will now and fans will finally get to see what all the buzz is about.
When they play host to the Kansas City Royals that night, it will mark the first game in Toronto in 670 days. When they last played a game at the Rogers Centre, the Jays beat Tampa Bay 8-3 on Sept. 29, 2019.
During that stretch, plenty has changed for a team that added pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu last off-season and George Springer a year later to mega free-agent deals.
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Article contentThe biggest change involves the emergence of Vlad Jr. into an MVP candidate and superstar, The young first baseman belted his 29th home run in the first inning in Friday night’s 10-2 romp over the Texas Rangers. Then came No. 30 in the sixth inning on a blast to left that sailed out of Sahlen Field.
“First and foremost, the Blue Jays wish to thank Canadians for their unprecedented public health efforts and support for the team,†the club said in a release.
“Without you, Blue Jays baseball would not be coming home this summer.
“In addition, the organization wishes to acknowledge Blue Jays staff and players for their tireless efforts and dedication during a franchise-defining chapter of team history, and whose resilience never wavered through immense challenges and times of uncertainty.â€
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Article contentThe onset of COVID-19 forced the Jays and every other MLB team to shut down during spring training in 2020.
Later that year in July, the Jays were able to gather at their summer camp at the Rogers Centre to prepare for a 60-game season, but eventually were denied permission to play their home games in Canada.
After exploring multiple options at other MLB parks, including Pittsburgh and Baltimore, the club settled down at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, site of the Jays’ triple-A affiliate.
Federal Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said in a statement the decision to grant the exemption was made in conjunction with the Public Health Agency of Canada and local and provincial officials.
He said the plan includes pre and post-arrival testing for everyone crossing the border and additional testing four times a week for unvaccinated individuals.
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Article content“It also includes significant limitations on unvaccinated individuals, who will have to undergo a modified quarantine, not be permitted to go anywhere but the hotel and stadium and have no interaction with the general public,†he said.
Further details will be released in the next few days, including how many fans will be allowed inside the stadium and how tickets will be distributed to the general public.
Based on Ontario’s Stage 3 of the province’s re-opening, upwards of 15,000 fans will be allowed to enter Rogers Centre, which is considered an outdoor facility given its retractable roof.
For now, the team says it will first contact subscribers.
Interestingly, this year’s trade deadline kicks in on July 30.
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LONE RANGERS
The Rangers had no chance to bounce back when the Jays scored four runs in the third when Marcus Semien, Teoscar Hernandez and Randal Grichuk each went deep en route to the easy Toronto win.
As the rains fell at Sahlen Field, the Jays were knocking it out of the park in support of Robbie Ray, who last Sunday in his previous start took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in Tampa.
Through five innings Friday night, Texas managed one hit off Ray.
Strangely, Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo was tossed by home plate umpire Greg Gibson. Montoyo asked for a review following an inning-ending out, only to be told by the ump that he took too much time to initiate it. The two got into a heated exchange before Gibson gave Montoyo the heave-ho.
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Article contentRay went 6.2 innings to earn the win as he improved his record to 8-4.
LHP Ryan Borucki, who was activated Friday following a stint on the 60-day injured list (forearm flexor), started the eighth inning after Adam Cimber recorded the final out in the seventh. His first pitch in two months was stroked to left for a single.
Ryu is scheduled to start on Saturday.
SON OF A GUNNAR
The team’s busy day of announcements also included the signing of first-round pick Gunnar Hoglund, a right-handed university pitcher who had Tommy John surgery in May.
The procedure didn’t discourage the Jays from selecting the Ole Miss product 19th overall, believing in the 21-year-old’s long-term value.
Financially, the Jays, according to multiple reports, doled out US $3,247,500, slightly under the $3,359,000 normally attached to a 19th pick.
The $100,000 saving adds to the Jays’ bonus pool.
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