The Toronto Blue Jays are finally back home.
Canada’s only Major League Baseball team plays its 2024 home opener tonight against the Seattle Mariners after starting the season with a 10-game road trip.
The time on the road allowed the team to put the finishing touches on its latest round of renovations to Rogers Centre.
The venerable stadium had its lower bowl upgraded as part of the multi-stage project to turn Rogers Centre from a multi-use facility into a baseball-specific venue.
Toronto will be hoping a return home will help them get their first series win of the season after going 4-6 in road meetings with Tampa Bay, Boston and the New York Yankees.
“Up and down,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of the road trip.
“Ran into some tough pitching, for sure. Had our chances. Left the bases loaded today. Had a chance to win the series here and didn’t. Just up and down, both sides of the ball, whether it was offence or pitching. Ten on the road is tough. Guys are really looking forward to getting home, as am I and hopefully find some consistency. But it was just really up and down.”
Jose Berrios is scheduled to get the start for Toronto, while the Mariners are expected to counter with Luis Castillo.
With files from Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi
