The Toronto Blue Jays' game against the Texas Rangers set for Saturday afternoon in Sahlen Field has been postponed due to rain.
On the day after he learned his team had received approval from the Canadian government to finally return home to Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro took time to offer kudos to Buffalo and its fans for hosting his club for much of the last two seasons.
Shapiro, whose relationship to the Bisons dates to 1994 when he was player development director with the Cleveland Indians, told reporters on a video call Saturday he had a brief text exchange with Bisons operators Bob and Mindy Rich to thank them for the organization's support
"We're going to leave here having built a bond with the fans here that we've never had before to this level," Shapiro said. "We're going to leave here knowing the player development conditions here are better than they've ever been."
The Blue Jays have played 45 games here over the last two seasons and have five more remaining, starting with a doubleheader against the Texas Rangers Sunday at 1. That will be a makeup of Saturday's scheduled game, which was rained out. Toronto is 27-18 in Sahlen Field.
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The Blue Jays will return to Toronto for a 10-game homestand starting July 30 against Kansas City. It will also feature games against Cleveland Boston. Shapiro said the Blue Jays have been approved to have 15,000 fans at each game in their 49,000-seat stadium.
Here’s a quick video of #Bluejays president Mark Shapiro talking about his appreciation to Buffalo fans for their support from the first inning on June 1 (OK, minus the three #Yankees games) pic.twitter.com/O00jld36x0
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) July 17, 2021
As for the Bisons, they continue to plan for a potential Aug. 10 return to Sahlen Field but will have many new player amenities left in the Blue Jays' wake such as the entire field, clubhouses, lighting and batting facilities.
"I do think we will all feel like we've been part of something historic here. ... to have been part of something that will always be part of the annals of baseball history in Buffalo," Shapiro said. "To have really cemented a special relationship both professionally and personally between our organizations, between the people that work in those organizations and between the fans in Buffalo, it's one that we will have a greater bond.
"We'll see more people from Buffalo come up and watch us play. And certainly we will have a great player development facility also as part of that legacy left behind. Appreciative and feel like it's something that won't be forgotten."
