After the federal government granted its national interest travel exemption, the team returned to Toronto. This is the first time in 670 days that Major League Baseball games have been allowed to be played in downtown Toronto.

The exemption confirmed by the Office of the Federal Minister of Immigration will allow players to cross the border without being subject to Canadian COVID-19 travel restrictions. The federal government said the plan includes pre-arrival and post-arrival testing for everyone who crosses the border, as well as four additional tests for unvaccinated people every week.

The last time the Jays played at Rogers Center was on September 29, 2019, when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 to end the season.

The team participated in 60 compression games last season in Buffalo, New York, and started this year in Dunedin, Florida before moving to Buffalo.

This is the first home game of many Blue Jays in Toronto, including right-hander Ross Sterling. His only start at Rogers Center was a six-inning first run against the Blue Jays in 2016.

For Toronto native Jordan Romano, the day home is particularly sweet. Not only can he be reunited with his family again, but he can also witness his game with his own eyes.

“My whole family-my aunt and my grandmother-they will all succeed today,” he said.

“As a fan, I participated in several games in 15 and 16 years, and the atmosphere was great. I just hope we can go back in time.”

Road closure takes effect

As the city is ready to welcome its team home, preparations are underway.

Toronto police said that all upcoming home games will be closed to roads, including pre-match and post-match road restrictions around Rogers Center.

The closure will take effect two hours before the start of the game and will last until the end of the game.

At the same time, Blue Jays’ official sports bar Boston Pizza hosted five spectating parties in the following cities in Canada: Ajax, Ontario, Victoria, Calgary, Winnipeg and St. John’s.

The CN Tower was lit blue tonight to celebrate the team’s return to home.

The fans outside the stadium boiled with excitement on Friday.

“I will be the first there,” Mike Jackman said. “I have been waiting for a year and a half, I can’t wait. I don’t think I slept all night.”

Pitcher Ryan Borucki (Ryan Borucki) said he was happy to play in front of team fans again.

“We have never had home fans. In Florida we face the Red Sox or Yankees… the same is true in Buffalo,” he said. “Sometimes we get boos and things in our place.”

The team treats the stadium as an outdoor venue

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said that the team has been approved to treat the stadium as an outdoor venue, which can accommodate up to 15,000 fans to watch the game, accounting for about 30% of the stadium’s 49,286 people capacity.

He said that as long as the weather permits, the retractable roof will open, and other measures have been taken to ensure proper ventilation.

The stadium has also been renovated, including new turf, new sound system, new batting cage and changes to the appearance of the 100-story hall.

Shapiro said that the players and staff are very happy to return to Toronto, even if it means moving for the second time this season.

Watch | The Blue Jays get government approval to return to Toronto:

The Toronto Blue Jays announced that they will play their home games at Rogers Center again starting on July 30. 4:26

“I thought of Marcus Semien, Hyun Jin Ryu, George Springer, the players who decided to join the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto is an important part of this decision, and Canada is an important part of this decision,” Shapiro said in a statement Said in. Previous interview. “However, they have never played in the Rogers Center as a hometown player. So there is a lot of excitement.”

Shapiro said that returning to Toronto and playing in front of hometown fans will be the motivation for the team because the team is working hard to secure a place in the playoffs, he said. The Jays are currently ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference of the American League.

On Thursday, both Jay and Royals will win.

With the Blue Jays defeating the host Boston Red Sox 13-1, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored a three-pointer with his 33rd homer this season and won a four-game series tie. The Royals defeated the visiting Chicago White Sox 5-0 and ended the series with a score of 3-1.

The eyes of other leagues return to Canada

The return of the Blue Jays is the latest step for professional sports to return to the north of the border and get closer to normal.

Ottawa granted travel exemptions for the final two rounds of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs and recently approved a plan to allow CFL players and staff to return to Canada without undergoing a full 14-day quarantine.

Major League Soccer teams Toronto Football Club and Montreal Football Club also hosted matches against American opponents this month.

Although MLS has not yet received an isolation exemption, fully vaccinated athletes with a work permit can enter the country without completing the 14-day isolation.

The Toronto Raptors are the only NBA team not in the United States. During the 2020 playoffs, they played in the Orlando, Florida foam zone of the league, but there they lost to the Boston Celtics.

The team announced in November 2020 that it would play at the Amalia Arena in Tampa, Florida, and ended the regular season there. This was the first time in eight seasons that it had missed a playoff spot. As of Thursday, there is still no news about when the Raptors will return to the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.