The city of Toronto is a good place to be right now. Temperatures have turned the corner, finally leaving jacket weather behind. The patios are open and bustling. And the Toronto Raptors are hosting Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals Friday night.
The Toronto Blue Jays are back in town too, beginning a six-game homestand Friday against the Boston Red Sox.
The question is: Do the Blue Jays really want to be home right now?
The club did go 5-2 on their recent road trip through Minnesota and New York, but the fact remains that Rogers Centre has been somewhat of a House of Horrors for the team this year. The Blue Jays’ 9-13 home record is fourth worst in the American League, trailing only the Angels, Twins and Athletics.
Here’s a quick look at how the Blue Jays have fared at Rogers Centre this season:
Home runs are down
While the sample size is relatively small – the Blue Jays have played only 22 games at Rogers Centre and 27 on the road – there’s a difference in the team’s home run averages.
| Home vs. Away | Home runs | Games | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Centre | 24 | 22 | 1.09 |
| Road | 37 | 27 | 1.37 |
The Blue Jays’ 1.09 home runs per game this season is a far cry from the 1.51 they averaged in 2015 at Rogers Centre. There is hope on that front, though. Last year with Rogers Centre’s roof open, the Blue Jays clubbed 91 home runs, compared to 31 when the roof was closed.
The stadium’s dome figures to be open at some point this weekend, and the fresh air could make a difference for Blue Jays hitters.
Opposing starters
While the Blue Jays’ offence has been dreadful all season, here’s a reason to cut it a little slack, at least when playing in front of home crowds.
Seven of the club’s 13 losses at Rogers Centre this year have come against frontline starters: Jake Odorizzi, Chris Archer and Drew Smyly of the Rays; Jose Quintana and Chris Sale of the White Sox; Athletics ace Sonny Gray; and arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw.
That’s some tough opposition for any club, much less one that’s not clicking offensively.
Pitching woes at home
It’s not just the offence that’s struggled in Toronto. The pitching has been drastically different as well.
On the road the Blue Jays have posted a 2.92 ERA, compared to a 4.48 at home. The main perpetrators of those inflated stats at Rogers Centre are the club’s starters. Four members of the Blue Jays starting rotation – R.A. Dickey, Marcus Stroman, J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez – have home ERAs over 5.00.
By contrast, the Blue Jays bullpen sports a 4.11 ERA at home.
