Five homestands Blue Jay fans won’t want to miss this season
The one that got away
April 30, May 1, May 2 vs. Texas Rangers Japanese pitching sensation Yu Darvish and the rest of the American League champion Texas Rangers come to town for a three-game weekday series at the end of April. The 6-foot-5 right-hander, who posted a 1.44 ERA in Japan last season, has not yet pitched in the majors. But if his impressive spring training is any indication, the considerable hype — and the $111 million (U.S.) the Rangers spent to get him — might actually be worth it.
The one we wish had stayed
June 15, 16, 17 vs. Philadelphia Phillies Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies return to Toronto for a weekend interleague series in mid-june. The two-time Cy Young winner was not kind to the Jays in his first return to the Rogers Centre last year, pitching a complete game — striking out eight and surrendering just one walk — as the Phillies beat the Jays 5-3. And when The Doc’s on the mound, you can usually get away with paying for only a couple hours of parking.
MLB’S $240,000,000 man
June 28, 29, 30, July 1 vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Who knows what kind of hitter Albert Pujols will be in 2021, when the Angels will be paying the then-41-year-old first baseman $30 million? But he was pretty good last year. The three-time American League MVP batted .353 in the post-season to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to their 11th World Series title. Former Blue Jays all-star centre-fielder Vernon Wells also plays for the Angels, and seeing him — and his contract — in another team’s jersey should be cause for celebration among Jays’ fans.
The other one that got away
July 27, 28, 29 vs. Detroit Tigers The Tigers won the American League Central division by 15 games last year, and they haven’t gotten any worse. Adding free-agent slugger Prince Fielder gives the Tigers arguably the hardest-hitting infield in all of baseball, with third baseman Miguel Cabrera and shortstop Jhonny Peralta. Oh, their roster also boasts last year’s Cy Young winner and American League MVP Justin Verlander. No big deal.
Wishful thinking?
Sept. 27, 28, 29, 30 vs. New York Yankees Here’s hoping this, the final three games of the season, mean something. Even with the extra wild card playoff spot rushed in place for this season, the Blue Jays will be in a tough fight to nab one of the five spots in the American League. Not only will they be battling with the glamour teams of the AL East, but also the beefed-up squads in Texas, Anaheim and Detroit. And if the Jays are not in the running themselves, perhaps they could play spoiler to the Yankees — as the Orioles did to the Red Sox last year. One can dream.