The Toronto Blue Jays‘ proposal to play home games at Rogers Centre in 2020 has been pushed forward for federal approval, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reports.
Toronto Mayor John Tory and Toronto Public Health have signed off on the plan.
Per Davidi, some details of the plan are as follows:
• MLB protocol calls for players and staff to be tested every other day through saliva tests. In Toronto, nasal swab tests will be used for increased accuracy. Players who test positive must produce two negative results in a row to enter Canada.
• As during training camp, the Blue Jays and visiting players will be in a modified cohort quarantine at the Rogers Centre and attached hotel, unable to leave the stadium footprint.
• Travel will be on private charter and buses to and from Pearson airport and will follow Public Health Agency of Canada guidelines, all designed to minimize contact with people outside the travel party.
• The province’s approval for games in Toronto is based on both the Blue Jays and visiting clubs following all the protocols in a 176-page return-to-play plan.
The Blue Jays and MLB both have Rogers Centre as their top choice to host games. TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla., or Buffalo’s Sahlen Field are possible alternatives.
Toronto opens its 2020 campaign on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 24. Their home schedule begins on July 29 versus the Washington Nationals.
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