Blue Jays opening day: Renewed optimism, MLB rule changes, ballpark renos

Spring is here, and the boys of summer are back.

It’s opening day for Major League Baseball, and the Toronto Blue Jays kick off their season with an extended road trip, in part due to renovations still being completed at their home ballpark.

After a disappointing finish in 2022, the Jays open the year with renewed optimism after making some significant roster changes while keeping their young core intact.

Baseball fans also have their interest piqued by a slew of new rule changes aimed at speeding up the game.

The Jays open their 2023 campaign in St. Louis against the Cardinals, sending ace Alek Manoah to the mound. First pitch is 4:10 p.m. on Sportsnet.

Blue Jays high hopes

The Jays are widely considered one of the top teams in the American League heading into the new season.

Many pundits are picking the team to win the American League East — with some forecasting the club could sniff 100 wins. The Jays won a franchise record 99 games in 1985.

John Schneider is in his full season as manager after taking over for Charlie Montoyo midway through 2022.

“We get that we’re looked at as a good team. We put ourselves in that spot,” says Schneider. “What are you going to do to maintain that over the course of the year?”

“No one has higher expectations than the guys in the clubhouse.”

The 2023 version of the Blue Jays have a chance to be good at the plate, on the mound and in the field. Their words, and more importantly their actions, suggest they intend to be good at everything in between, too. (@ShiDavidi) https://t.co/m2I37rGmjQ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 30, 2023

After falling apart in a two-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners last fall, the front office re-tooled, addressing their defence and adding experience.

Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. were sent away in offseason trades, and the club brought in outfielders Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier, along with veteran first baseman Brandon Belt. All three are left-handed hitters — a lack of bats from the left side was considered a weakness for the team last year.

The team also shored up holes in their bullpen and starting rotation by acquiring Erik Swanson in the Hernandez trade from Seattle, with Chad Green signed later in the offseason. Green, a longtime New York Yankees reliever, is recovering from Tommy John surgery and could be ready by July.

The front office targeted free-agent starters but ultimately landed Chris Bassitt on a three-year, $63-million contract.

The superstar nucleus of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, George Springer, and Manoah remains intact. The Blue Jays could also see top pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann’s debut sometime in 2023, though the 20-year-old could see his workload managed.

MLB rule changes

The MLB has implemented a host of new rules that the league hopes will make games more entertaining and engaging.

The changes include a pitch clock, bigger bases, and the banning of certain defensive shifts in the infield.

With the new rules in place, Spring Training games this year were an average of 25 minutes shorter compared to past years.

The new pitch clock means less time between pitches. Pitchers will have 15 seconds between each pitch with no one on base and 20 seconds between pitches with a runner on.

The larger bases, not including home plate, were implemented to give more room to defenders and runners. The change is also expected to lead to an increase in stolen base attempts.

The ban on infield shifts makes certain defensive alignments illegal — meaning a team can no longer stack all, or most, of their defenders on one side of the diamond.

Rogers Centre renos

The Blue Jays won’t play their home opener until Apr. 11 — that’s when fans will get their first look at a renovated Rogers Centre.

In July, the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled the full-scale, $300-million renovation at the Rogers Centre designed to transform the 33-year-old stadium into a ballpark.

The biggest changes include higher walls in left and right field. The visitors’ bullpen in right field will be elevated, similar to the Blue Jays’ home bullpen, with deck areas in the stands above.

The reimagined outfield saw the addition of multiple new social spaces with patios, drink rails, bars, and viewing platforms. New $20 outfield district tickets will give fans access to the new outfield areas.

The new sections include Park Social, a space on the 500 level overlooking left field. At the same level but above right field is the Corona Rooftop Patio. Directly below that is The Catch, a bar space perched above the visitors’ bullpen, while a bar next to that called The Stop overlooks centre field.

The Jays first home game on Apr. 11 is against the Detroit Tigers, kicking off a six-game homestand.

With files from The Canadian Press