#BlueJays baseball will be played in Toronto THIS WEEK! 🤯
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 5, 2022
See you all at the ballpark: https://t.co/FL8En1N8Ac pic.twitter.com/Qm6pT1eWWI
The 2021 Toronto Blue Jays were the best 4th place team ever. 3 different home stadiums in 2 countries. A Cy Young Award winner who didn't stick around. A 2nd baseman who had an amazing season and didn't stick around. A centre fielder who had lots of injuries but is sticking around.
The 2022 Toronto Blue Jays has most of the regulars returning. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio are in the infield along with Matt Chapman from Oakland. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., George Springer, and Teoscar Hernandez are in the outfield. Danny Jansen is the primary catcher.
The team got some new starting pitchers: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (Seattle) and RHP Kevin Gausman (San Francisco) along with RHP Yimi Garcia (Houston). They join Hyun Jin Ryu and José Berríos, the latter signing a 7-year extension. Homegrown prospects Alek Manoah and Nate Pearson are in the mix.
The team made some significant trades in spring training. Randal Grichuk and $ went to Colorado for left-handed hitting outfielder Raimel Tapia and infield prospect Adrian Pinto. Backup catcher Reese McGuire went to the Chicago White Sox for backup catcher Zack Collins.
The other new non-pitcher is Gosuke Katoh, a versatile infielder/outfielder making his MLB debut at the age of 27.
Manager Charlie Montoyo signed an extension through the 2023 season that gives the team club options for 2024 and 2025.
Those not returning include LHP Robbie Ray, LHP Steven Matz, RHP Joakim Soria, RHP Kirby Yates, 2B Marcus Semien, and OF Corey Dickerson.
OFFICIAL: Presenting your 2022 #OpeningDay roster! pic.twitter.com/H9uP3kXZR4
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 7, 2022
The Toronto Blue Jays set their sights on the World Series (The New York Times)
Thanks to the completely unnecessary lockout (how pathetic is MLB these days), the Blue Jays actually open at home. Marcus Semien and his Texas Rangers will be at Rogers Centre. Tonight's opener will be at 7:07 pm with day games on the weekend: Saturday at 3:07 pm and Sunday at 1:07 pm.
The 2022 schedule features interleague games with the National League Central. MLB decided on its own to install a universal DH so the Blue Jays can use a DH in games in National League parks. We'll never know if the new Toronto pitchers can hit.
MLB Extra Innings should have a free preview for the first week.
Rogers Sportsnet carries all 162 games in Canada through its regional Sportsnet channels and Sportsnet One. The latter is generally used during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Dan Shulman, Buck Martinez, and Pat Tabler will cover the games on TV. The Rogers channels will offer other MLB games. TSN will carry the ESPN games in Canada, fewer of them since ESPN cut back on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Rogers started the 2021 season with a dreadful TV/radio simulcast. The good news is the Blue Jays have a radio feed. The bad news is poor Ben Wagner, who was all by himself at the end of the 2021 season, is all by himself on radio. Even Vin Scully had partners.
As bad as some MLB TV and radio setups are, no team would dare to have only a single person in the booth. No team except the Blue Jays.
The Athletic reported last month that the Toronto Blue Jays radio setup won't be traveling for road games. Ugh.
Canadians to watch in the 2022 MLB season (TSN Sports)
For our U.S. viewers, MLB Network will have occasional Toronto Blue Jays telecasts. MLB Network often remembers to carry the Blue Jays on Canadian holidays, such as Victoria Day and Canada Day. Though this year, Toronto is not at home on Victoria Day.
ESPN traditionally carries a single Blue Jays telecast (insert Chris Berman codeine joke here) every season, but with a lot fewer games, that condition may not be in effect. Fox and Fox Sports 1 is pretty allergic to covering Toronto. TBS (Tuesdays), Apple+ (Fridays), and Peacock (Sundays) could have the Blue Jays but will likely be allergic.
ESPN+, the same service that brings you MLS, NHL, and CFL games, brings select MLB games. Like the other games, they are subject to blackout if your local team is playing Toronto.
2022 Toronto Blue Jays spring training schedule
Toronto Blue Jays were scheduled to start MLB spring training games on Saturday
2021 Toronto Blue Jays have a lot to celebrate, just not the playoffs
All Blue Jays players making their Opening Day roster are vaccinated, which may give them a real home field advantage. Unvaccinated players by current law r unable to travel to Canada to play immediately. Though vaccination rates r up, many players on other teams remain unvaxxed.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 5, 2022
Jon Heyman of MLB Network left out a lot of reality in this tweet. Canadian Twitter reminded Heyman multiple times that the same rules apply in Canada and the United States. How Blue Jays could only acquire vaccinated players. Ignoring and not caring as much about the Blue Jays huge disadvantages of 2020 and 2021. Often, Americans would say ignorant things about Canada before Twitter existed. Canadians will stand up on Twitter.
Heyman and other experts are more worried about the impact on the New York Yankees than the Toronto Blue Jays.
Players who haven't been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be able to cross between countries.
Toronto Blue Jays finally playing home games in Toronto
CanadianCrossing.com MLB coverage
Expectations are high. Playing 81 games in Canada will help. Staying relatively injury free will help.
Twitter captures: @BlueJays (x2); @JonHeyman
photo credit: @BlueJays
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