Metallica show impacts Detroit outfield ahead of Blue Jays game

Sportsnet's baseball columnist Shi Davidi joined Starting Lineup to talk about the Blue Jay's upcoming road trip, and which players will rebound in the second half of the season.

Enter Sandman. Thanks to, naturally, Metallica, that’s what looked like happened to the outfield grass in Detroit ahead of Friday’s game between the host Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays.

The heavy metal band played at Comerica Park on Wednesday, with the stage set in front of centre field. Add in some heavy rains following the show, and the area in front of the outfield wall looks worse for wear.

“It’s not ideal, but what are you going to do,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told reporters before the game. “It should be all right.”

However, according to the Detroit News, the show — or in this case a ballgame — will go on.

“It looks bad, but it’s perfectly fine,” Tigers GM Al Avila told the paper.

That’s not to say the Blue Jays and Tigers weren’t affected by the grass issues.

The News reported a diagonal strip of sod, from the front of the Tigers bullpen in left field to the right-field wall, had to be torn out and replaced by the grounds crew. Both teams had to cancel afternoon workouts.

The Blue Jays and Tigers play a three-game series, which concludes Sunday. The Tigers then head out on a seven-game road trip and the entire outfield will likely be re-sodded ahead of an international soccer match Wednesday.

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