Rogers Centre roof closed for today’s Blue Jays game
Posted October 8, 2015 5:51 am.
Last Updated October 8, 2015 3:08 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The buzz on the streets is huge, but the adrenaline inside the Rogers Centre will be in unchartered territory.
The first post-season baseball game in 22 years will be played at the stadium on Thursday afternoon when the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Texas Rangers Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
But, despite the lovely weather outside, Major League Baseball has announced the roof will be closed.
Blue Jays fans were hoping the weather would pull through to allow the retractable roof to be open for Game 1. The forecast called for increasing cloud this afternoon and a high of 16 C.
The decision to open or close the roof rests with Major League Baseball.
Game 1 gets underway at 3:37 p.m. The gates to Rogers Centre – the closest thing to heaven at the moment – will open at 1:30 p.m.
It’s Toronto’s first visit to the post-season since winning a second-straight World Series in 1993.
David Price will face Texas’ Yovani Gallardo in the series opener while Marcus Stroman takes on Rangers marquee man Cole Hamels in Game 2 on Friday.
Meanwhile, offices will be empty and Nathan Phillips Square will packed Thursday afternoon, as Toronto rallies behind the American League East Champion.
The city will broadcast all of the upcoming playoff games on a large screen on the stage in Nathan Phillips Square, being referred to as the #BirdsNest on Twitter.
“It’s an exciting time for Toronto. Let’s come together and cheer on our Blue Jays at Nathan Phillips Square,” Mayor John Tory said in a release. “See you in the #BirdsNest!”
City staff say it will cost just under $10,000 a day to show games on the big screen but that the money comes from the existing budget. That price tag includes audio, video and staff.
The games will also be broadcast on Sportsnet and at Yonge-Dundas Square.
Earlier this week, Tory along with members of city council and ACE, the Blue Jays’ mascot, raised the Blue Jays flag at City Hall.
The AL Championship banners are already up around Rogers Centre. And inside the ballpark, space has been made for the banner to be added this afternoon. It will be unfurled during a ceremony at about 3 p.m. Cito Gaston has reportedly been pegged to toss the first pitch of this afternoon’s game.
The second home game will take place around 12:45 p.m. on Friday. The best-of-five series will then descend on Texas for the next two games, if necessary, with Game 5 in Toronto if needed.
Road closures/transit info
Toronto police are temporarily closing some roads around the Rogers Centre on Thursday to help pedestrians and drivers get around safely.
Blue Jays Way will be partially closed to southbound traffic from Front Street West to Navy Wharf. Bremner Boulevard will be partially closed to eastbound traffic from Spadina Avenue to Rees Street.
Bremner will be fully closed to eastbound traffic from Rees Street to Lower Simcoe, and to westbound traffic from Lower Simcoe to Navy Wharf.
To help Blue Jays fans get to the games on time, the TTC will be adding extra subway trains before and after each home game. GO Transit will also be running extra trains on its Lakeshore East and West lines.
