The Blue Jays, who received word from the Canadian government that they would not be allowed to play their home games at the Rogers Centre in Toronto last week, have reportedly been in talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates in a potential move that would allow them to share PNC Park with its normal tenants.
The Jays, learned last Friday that they would need to find a place within the United States to play, had been rumored to be considering their triple-A affiliate’s park in Buffalo, New York as well as their Dunedin, Florida Spring Training facility for this year’s games. However, reports soon followed that both facilities were deficient in terms of locker room space and lighting.
This meant that the Blue Jays have had to look at other options, and the idea of playing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and sharing the Pirates’ stadium with the Buccos is a possibility which is attractive for various reasons.
PNC Park is considered one of the best stadiums in all of professional sports, and COVID-19 cases in the Pittsburgh area are currently much lower than in other Major League cities.
“This will be a monumental challenge for our staff, but leaning in to help others is what Pittsburghers do best. If we are able to safely accommodate, not only will it bring additional international attention to our city, it will also bring with it jobs and revenue for local hotels, restaurants and other businesses that will support the Blue Jays organization as well as additional visiting teams,” said Pirates president Travis Williams when asked about the possibility of the Jays sharing their home stadium with them.
Toronto is running out of time to settle on its Plan B choice, with their home opener coming up on July 29.
