The Rogers Centre will remain empty after the Canadian government ruled the Toronto Blue Jays could not use their home stadium for the 2020 MLB season. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
- With the start of the MLB season just two days away, the Toronto Blue Jays are homeless
- The Canadian government refused to waive COVID-19 restrictions to allow the Jays to play at Rogers Centre
- Florida? New York? Pittsburgh? Which destination makes the most sense to serve as temporary home for the team?
For all intents and purposes, the Toronto Blue Jays are temporarily no more.
Oh sure, it will still say “Toronto” on the scoreboard. But they will be a Toronto team in name only.
The Blue Jays are the vagabonds of MLB, left homeless after the Canadian government declined to waive the country’s COVID-19 regulations in order to provide Canada’s lone big-league ballclub a place to play.
Rogers Center won’t be available because, unlike other pro sports that are opting for hub cities and strict quarantine of players, MLB decided to operate with a business as usual approach. Teams will still travel to and from cities for games.
Since the Canada-US border remains closed to all but essential travel, such a plan simply wasn’t going to fly. That leaves the Blue Jays searching for a home base with their home opener slated for July 29th.
Sportsbooks have responded with a pair of prop wagers. The first asks where the Jays will play their home opener, the second focuses on where they will play the majority of their 2020 home games.
Odds on Where Blue Jays Play 2020 Home Opener
| Location | Odds |
|---|---|
| Florida | +115 |
| Pittsburgh | +250 |
| Washington | +250 |
| New York | +700 |
Odds taken July 21st.
Florida is the +115 chalk. The Blue Jays’ spring training home is in Dunedin.
But, while Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins call Toronto home during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, might Toronto’s MLB team be settling into the Steel City?
It actually makes a lot of sense. As of Monday, Pittsburgh Pirates officials confirmed that discussions continue with the Blue Jays to share PNC Park this season.
Given PNC Park might be the most beautiful setting in MLB, I’m all for the #BlueJays playing “home” games there. #Pittsburgh
— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) July 20, 2020
Toronto players are adamant that they’d rather share a big-league ballpark than set up shop in a minor-league city.
There’s just one other question – can the Pirate Parrot and Blue Jays mascots Ace and Diamond cohabitate?
Pick: Pittsburgh (+250)
Odds on Where Blue Jays Play Majority of 2020 Home Games
| Location | Odds |
|---|---|
| Florida | -160 |
| Pittsburgh | +250 |
| New York | +275 |
Location must play host to at least 16 Blue Jays home games for bet to cash.
Where will the majority of Toronto’s home games be played? Dunedin has been the spring home of the Jays ever since the franchise was born in 1977. Naturally, there would be a comfort level there for the players, as well as big-league caliber facilities.
In terms of maintaining some semblance of home-field advantage, Dunedin would probably make the most sense. If it ends up being the winner, the Blue Jays’ 2020 MLB win total isn’t likely to move much off of 27.5.
However, their Dunedin ballpark lacks the quality of lighting required for MLB games. Upgrades would need to be made quickly.
new logo concept for the Blue Jays as they embark on their Summer 2020 Soul Searching road trip ~ pic.twitter.com/t85fqZEy3i
— Cam Lewis (@cooom) July 21, 2020
As well, Florida is a COVID-19 hot spot at the moment. Going there could be inviting a recipe for disaster.
Buffaloed in Buffalo
There’s a lot that makes sense about the Blue Jays relocating to western New York. First of all, it’s where the Buffalo Bisons, the Jays’ AAA team, plays its home games. Secondly, it’s about a two-hour drive from Toronto.
The “Buffalo Blue Jays” sound good to me. Let’s find a way to make this happen @BlueJays and @BuffaloBisons .
— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) July 18, 2020
On the other hand, it’s a minor-league facility. Like Dunedin, it would require a lighting upgrade pronto.
Unlike Dunedin, there’s no major-league amenities on site. Asking pampered big-league ballplayers to give up the comforts of an MLB home? Good luck with that.
Pittsburgh’s beautiful PNC Park looks increasingly likely to be the Jays’ home park in 2020. MLB could possibly massage the schedule to alleviate the few home days in conflict. @JMackeyPG noted only 7 home dates for Pirates and Jays conflict.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 21, 2020
Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk labeled Buffalo, “a last resort.”
Again, the Pittsburgh move makes the most sense, requiring only slight schedule alterations.
Pick: Pittsburgh (+250)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
source https://casinonewsblogger.com/florida-favored-new-york-a-260-longshot/
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