The Toronto Blue Jays open their season Friday with Hyun Jin Ryu on the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays’ Charlie Morton. The Jays will play in Tampa Bay starting at 6:40 p.m.
The Jays will field 15 pitchers, two catchers, six outfielders, a utility player, and six infielders for the first two weeks of the season. The roster will then be trimmed to 28 players, then 26.
The starting pitchers are Hyun-Jin Ryu, Matt Shoemaker, Tanner Roark, Trent Thornton, and Anthony Kay. Relief pitchers include Ken Giles, Rafael Dolis, Anthony Bass, Jordan Romano, Sam Gaviglio, Shun Yamaguchi, A.J. Cole, Thomas Hatch, Jacob Waguespack, and Brian Moran.
According to MLB.com Blue Jays beat reporter Keegan Matheson, starting pitcher Chase Anderson was placed on the ten-day injured list for an oblique strain.
Danny Jansen and Russ McGuire will work behind the dish as the team’s catchers.
Infielders will consist of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Rowdy Tellez, Cavan Biggio, Joe Panik, Bo Bichette, and Travis Shaw. Patrolling the outfield will be Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Randal Grichuk, Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Alford, Derek Fisher, and Billy McKinney. Santiago Espinal will serve as the utility player.
The Jays are still looking for a diamond to call their own after the Governor of Pennsylvania rejected a request to play at PNC Field in Pittsburgh.
The Jays have already ruled the Rogers Centre in Toronto out. The federal government refused to exempt the team from the Quarantine Act. It requires those coming into the country to quarantine for 14 days.
There are two other options for the Jays, Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.