Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays -- Rogers Centre

Canada’s second Major League Baseball franchise, behind the former Montreal Expos, joined the league during the expansion of 1977. The team took some time to get competitive, but became a perennial contender in the late 1980s and early 1990s. That success culminated with back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, marking the first time baseball’s top honor had been won by a team north of the border.

Ballpark / Stadium – Rogers Centre

The Jays played at the outdoor Exhibition Stadium from their inception in 1977 into the 1989 season. That park, which was shared with the Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, was known for its frigid temperatures, especially during home games in April. The team moved into SkyDome in 1989, which offered shelter from the elements thanks to the first retractable roof in North American professional sports. The stadium, now known as Rogers Centre, can accommodate 49,282 fans. It’s still used by the Argonauts and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills call the stadium home during their Toronto “home” game each season. Read more about Rogers Centre.

World Series Championships

The Jays can trace their World Series successes in 1992 and 1993 to a blockbuster trade that sent Toronto stars Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter. The two new Jays quickly became fan favorites and alongside Devon White, John Olerud and others, the club became baseball’s best. The team has made the postseason six times, including breaking a 22-year drought in 2015.

Toronto Blue Jays Roster

Former Blue Jays second baseman Roberto Alomar made news headlines across Canada in 2011 when he entered the Baseball Hall of Fame wearing the Jays cap. In doing so, he became the first member of Cooperstown inducted as Jay. Longtime executive Pat Gillick earned a spot in the hall the same year, thanks in part to his role in sculpting the team’s consecutive World Series titles. Other hall of famers to suit up for Toronto have included Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield, who were all instrumental in Toronto’s early-’90s success. More recently, stars for the Jays have included Roy Halladay, Carlos Delgado, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.

Spring Training

The Blue Jays Spring Training facility is Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, FL. The park opened in 1990 and has been the Grapefruit League home of the Jays ever since. The park is one of the smallest among Spring Training facilities, seating just 5,521, but has a strong reputation. Sports Illustrated once named the park among its best places to catch Spring Training action. The Blue Jays Minor League Baseball affiliates are the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays, Class-A Lansing Lugnuts, Short-Season A Vancouver Canadians and rookie league Bluefield Blue Jays, Gulf Coast League Blue Jays and Dominican Summer League Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays
Rogers Centre
1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1J1
888-654-6529
Official team site

Read More

  1. Wikipedia
  2. Official Site

 

Closest teams/stadiums:
MLB:
Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park (242 miles)
Cleveland Indians, Progressive Field (294 miles)

AAA:
Buffalo Bisons, Coca-Cola Field (102 miles)
Rochester Red Wings, Frontier Field (167 miles)

AA:
Erie SeaWolves, Jerry Uht Park (198 miles)
Binghamton Mets, NYSEG Stadium (318 miles)
Akron RubberDucks, Canal Park (318 miles)

A:
Batavia Muckdogs, Dwyer Stadium (135 miles)
Jamestown Jammers, Russell Diethrick Park (175 miles)

FAQ

How many World Series championships have the Toronto Blue Jays won?

The Blue Jays have won two World Series, earning back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993.

Which Toronto Blue Jays are in the Hall of Fame?

Second baseman Roberto Alomar is the only member of the Baseball Hall of Fame to wear a Blue Jays cap. However, several other Hall of Fame members, including Roy Halladay, Jack Morris, Frank Thomas and Paul Molitor, spent parts of their careers in Toronto.

How long have the Toronto Blue Jays been a major league team?

The Blue Jays joined MLB’s American League in 1977.

What division do the Blue Jays play in?

The Blue Jays play in the American League East alongside the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays.