MLB Notebook: Blue Jays bid adieu to Buffalo
Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. swings for the fences. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)
July 22nd, 2021
We’re back in action after last week’s MLB All-Star break. Teams have resumed the process of jockeying for position ahead of playoff pushes, and many division races are still wide-open. Here’s the latest news and notes from around the baseball world!
Blue Jays Bid Adieu to Buffalo
The Toronto Blue Jays are returning home for the first time since 2019. After playing in Buffalo, New York, for the 2020 season and the first part of 2021, the AL East club will cross the border and play the remainder of its home games at the Rogers Centre beginning on July 30.
Blue Jays baseball is COMING HOME 🇨🇦⚾️
— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) July 16, 2021
The federal government has given the team an exemption that will allow the club to return to playing home games at Rogers Centre starting July 30 👏
MORE: https://t.co/ktp5nbSHSF pic.twitter.com/vzkBYQ6ADF
The Blue Jays are 48-44 as of this writing and sit eight games behind the Boston Red Sox, who currently lead the division.
MLB Trade Deadline is Fast Approaching
July 30 is the last day for teams to buy or sell by way of conventional trades, and some of baseball’s bigger names are rumored to be available. The Chicago Cubs may move third baseman Kris Bryant and/or closer Craig Kimbrel, for instance, and some teams are already getting involved. For example, the New York Mets dealt outfielder Billy McKinney to the L.A. Dodgers Wednesday.
Thank you @billy_mckinney (aka Billy Bombs) for an unbelievable month. This team would not be in first place without you!
— Mets'd Up Podcast (@MetsdUp) July 16, 2021
Almost every team in baseball could use Billy Bombs
pic.twitter.com/imLiGNkQTE
What’s Happening With Oakland’s Stadium Plans?
I’m a Bay Area resident, and this makes my head hurt. Here’s what we know: Oakland City Council members voted to approve a ballpark and surrounding development Tuesday, and all of that carries a price tag that could be as high as $12 billion.
Update: The Oakland City Council approved the non-binding financial term sheet for the A's new stadium agreement, 6-1 with one abstention.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) July 20, 2021
The vote does not mean the ballpark will be built, but rather allows negotiations to continue on A’s terms. pic.twitter.com/ldvJEiJIbi
The A’s, however, recoiled at this news, as the term sheet for this deal differed from one the team had proposed months earlier. As a result, higher-ups from the team are still considering a plan to relocate to Las Vegas, which has long been considered a potential landing spot for a team on the move. This is nowhere near over, so stay tuned for further updates.
Pettitte’s Son Signs with Jeter’s Team
We’ll finish things up with a pretty cool story. Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter spent plenty of time together with the New York Yankees, and their paths are crossing once again. Andy’s son, Jared, inked a deal with the Miami Marlins as an undrafted free agent.
Marlins sign Andy Pettitte’s son, Jared as an undrafted free agent
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) July 21, 2021
The redshirt junior struck out 26 and held opponents to a .198 AVG in 26.1 D1 innings this past year
pic.twitter.com/Q1OtEp8cqs
Jeter, of course, acts as Miami’s CEO. The younger Pettitte is a left-handed pitcher who pitched for Dallas Baptist University this past spring.
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