Editor's note: The Toronto Blue Jays will be back at Rogers Centre on July 30. The team started out in Dunedin, Florida and then played in Buffalo.
For the first time since 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays have 4 position players in an All-Star Game. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Marcus Semien, and Teoscar Hernandez were voted in by the fans. Bo Bichette will be a reserve in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game in Denver.
Guerrero was invited to do the Home Run Derby but declined. The rules of the derby reward people who hit enough home runs to win a round but not those who put on a show such as what Guerrero did in 2019.
Having 4 players is a huge contrast to recent years for the team. Marcus Stroman, soon to be traded to the New York Mets, was the only Blue Jays player on the 2019 American League squad in Cleveland. Stroman was injured and did not play.
J.A. Happ was the lone 2018 Toronto Blue Jays player to be an All-Star. Happ was soon traded to the New York Yankees.
This is the first All-Star Game appearance for this year's all-stars.
Atlanta starting pitcher (Canadian) Mike Soroka, out for the rest of 2021 with an injury, was half of the Canadians on the 2019 All-Star Game rosters along with his Atlanta teammate Freddie Freeman.
Guerrero and Freeman qualify as Canadians on 2021 All-Star Game rosters. Both are starters at 1B for their respective leagues.
The consensus is at this point, Guerrero may finish 2nd in MVP voting to Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. That may be high praise given how well Ohtani is doing everywhere on the diamond.
Ohtani is the designated hitter as voted by the fans and is on the American League pitching roster.
2021 Toronto Blue Jays preview
If we told you the Toronto Blue Jays would be virtually tied with the New York Yankees going into the All-Star Game break, Blue Jays fans would be thrilled. Well, the most recent tumble has put the team in a tie for 3rd place in the American League East Division.
The Blue Jays are 45-42 overall. The team lost 4 of the previous 5 games before winning 3-1 on Sunday.
The team is 26-22 on the road. The home record is 19-20, going 9-9 in Buffalo since June 1. The Jays went 10-11 in Dunedin, losing the final 6 home games in Florida to Boston and Tampa Bay.
The Blue Jays are 5-8 against Tampa Bay so far: 2-1 in April, 0-4 in May, and 3-3 in July. The team trails Boston by 8 games and Tampa Bay by 6½ games.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is ahead on batting average and RBIs, second in HRs. Marcus Semien has been incredible, driving in runs from the leadoff spot.
George Springer is finally getting into form after being out for the vast majority of the first half. Cavan Biggio has been injured or struggling for most of the first half. The team will certainly be more exciting if those players kick into gear after the break.
Hyun Jin Ryu led the way by going 8-5 in the first half; Robbie Ray (7-4) and Steven Matz (7-4) have also done well in the first half.
Joe Panik (Miami) and Rowdy Tellez (Milwaukee) were dealt for desperately needed relief pitching.
No MLB All-Star game so no rant about the missing Canadian anthem on Fox
MLB, Rob Manfred, MLB on Fox need to stop disrespecting Canada
As much as we are frustrated with NBC's coverage of Canadian NHL teams, the MLB on Fox has an annual tradition of disrespecting Canada that even NBC thinks is too dastardly.
The over-the-air U.S. network has refused to air the Canadian anthem on U.S. television for the All-Star Game for over a decade. A decade!!
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has endorsed this cowardice. Maybe this is Manfred's suggestion.
Rogers Sportsnet airs the game in Canada. The Canadian network always airs both anthems.
What sports will look like on Canadian soil in 2020
The Toronto Blue Jays want to be back at Rogers Centre on July 30. The team started out in Dunedin, Florida and then played in Buffalo when the weather warmed up.
Toronto FC of MLS is more confident of a return to BMO Field.
The Blue Jays have an advantage in that the opposing team can stay at the hotel inside Rogers Centre.
The city and province have reportedly signed off on the return. The federal government would need to give approval.
Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro has said the process of moving the team to Toronto would take 3-4 weeks once the federal government gave approval to return to Rogers Centre.
The Montréal Canadiens have been the only NHL team north of the border to allow fans in 2021.
If you are skipping the All-Star Game break, the Blue Jays are back in Buffalo on Friday for what they hope will be the last homestand in Buffalo with Texas and Boston coming to town.
CanadianCrossing.com MLB coverage
The 91st annual All-Star Game, the midsummer classic, will be Tuesday with a game time approximately 7:30 pm EDT at Coors Field in Denver. The game will be on Fox in the U.S. and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada.
photo credit: Rogers Sportsnet/MLB
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