Blue Jays Await Approval To Return Home in July
A Blue Jay homecoming could be on the horizon.
The Toronto Blue Jays await a decision from the Canadian federal government on a submitted proposal to return to Toronto on July 30, the team said Tuesday.
"We remain hopeful to be back home this summer," said the Blue Jays communications update.
The Blue Jays announced details of their proposal which is based on "health and safety protocols and high league-wide vaccination rates."
Toronto's proposal would allow:
- Fully vaccinated individuals to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test upon entering Canada
- No quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated individuals, but will undergo weekly testing
- Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals (on both Blue Jays and visiting teams) to "adhere to a modified quarantine," only leaving their residence to participate in baseball activities
The Toronto Blue Jays have not played in their home city since the 2019 season, and have played home regular season games out of Buffalo, Dunedin, and various road parks across the United States. A game in Toronto this season would be the first MLB contest north of the border in over 650 days.
The Blue Jays begin a home stand on July 30th, after which the team will be on the road until August 20th, another potential date of return for the Canadian club.
Further Reading:
Blue Jays Pick RHP Gunnar Hoglund in 2021 MLB Draft
Blue Jays Lead Betting Odds to Land José Berrios
Day 2 Draft Picks: Blue Jays Select LHP Ricky Tiedemann and Others
Mitch Bannon is a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated covering the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates.Twitter: @MitchBannon