2020 Toronto Blue Jays season

The 2020 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 44th season in Major League Baseball.

On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (including in Toronto), the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being cancelled. Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to the recommendation made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to restrict events of more than 50 people for eight weeks.

On June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season. Players were to report to training camps on July 1 in order to resume spring training and prepare for a July 23 or 24 Opening Day. The team was forced to play their home games in the home of their AAA affiliate in Buffalo, New York.

Due to the pandemic and the shortened season, Major League Baseball instituted certain rule changes which included the use of a universal designated hitter, a runner on second base to start extra innings, and a revised schedule. On July 30, the league and the union agreed that all remaining doubleheaders on the season would be seven innings.

On September 24, the Blue Jays clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2016, and on the next day they clinched their first winning season since 2016 as well. As the eighth seed in the expanded playoff format, they faced the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays in one of four 2020 American League Wild Card Series where they were swept 2–0 in the best-of-three series.

Offseason

Rule changes For the 2020 season, MLB instituted several new rule changes including the following:

Single trade deadline – there will no longer be a waiver trade deadline later in the year. 26-man roster – rosters will expand from 25 players, but no team may carry more than 13 pitchers. Three-batter minimum for pitchers - a pitcher must face three batters in a game before they can be removed unless there is an injury or the end of an inning.

Further rule changes came into effect in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including the use of the DH in the National League, a shortened schedule, and starting extra innings with a runner at second base.

Transactions

October 2019

On October 29, the Blue Jays claimed RHP Anthony Bass off waivers from the Mariners, and designated RHP Ryan Dull for assignment. On October 30, the Blue Jays out righted Brock Stewart, Ryan Dull, and Buddy Boshers to Triple-A Buffalo. On October 31, RHP Clay Buchholz and 1B Justin Smoak elected free agency.

November 2019

On November 4, the Blue Jays acquired RHP Chase Anderson for 1B Chad Spanberger. RHP Ryan Tepera was designated for assignment and Devon Travis was out righted to Triple-A. On November 7, Devon Travis became a free agent. On November 11, Ryan Tepera cleared waivers and became a free agent. On November 20, the Blue Jays designated RHP Justin Shafer for assignment and out righted RHP Tim Mayza to Triple-A. In corresponding moves, the Blue Jays purchased the contracts of RHP Thomas Hatch and 2B Santiago Espinal from the minors. On November 25, the Blue Jays traded Justin Shafer to the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations. The Jays also signed RHP A.J. Cole to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training.

December 2019 On December 1, the Blue Jays signed Phillippe Aumont and Justin Miller to minor-league deals with invites to spring training. On December 2, the Blue Jays non-tendered Jason Adam, Derek Law and Luke Maile who all elected to become free agents. On December 9, the Blue Jays purchased the contract of James Dykstra from the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. On December 18, the Blue Jays signed Tanner Roark to a 2-year, $24 million contract. On December 27, the Blue Jays signed Hyun-jin Ryu to a 4-year, $80 million contract. On December 28, the Blue Jays signed Shun Yamaguchi to a 2-year, $6.35 million contract. On December 30, the Blue Jays signed Travis Shaw to a 1-year, $4 million contract. In a corresponding move, Richard Ureña was designated for assignment.

January 2020

On January 20, the Blue Jays signed several players to minor league contracts with invites to spring training, including Joe Panik, Ruben Tejada, and Caleb Joseph.

February 2020

On February 8, the Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Rafael Dolis and designated Breyvic Valera for assignment. On February 11, Jake Petricka was signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. On February 24, the Blue Jays signed Marc Rzepcyznski to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

June 2020

On June 30, the Blue Jays placed INF Brandon Drury, OF Jonathan Davis, and RHP Elvis Luciano and Héctor Pérez on the 10-day injured list, most likely due to either positive COVID-19 tests or potential exposure to the virus.

July 2020

On July 2, the Blue Jays claimed INF Breyvic Valera off waivers and added him to the 60-man training camp roster, they also added RHP Bryan Baker, UTL Patrick Kivlehan, and OF Josh Palacios to the 60-man training camp list as the corresponding moves to the transactions on June 30.

Spring training The Blue Jays announced they would return to Montreal to finish their spring training for the seventh consecutive year. The opponents would have been the New York Yankees. However, spring training games, including the aforementioned series in Montreal, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 23, MLB announced the resumption of spring training on July 1.

Home games On July 18, the Canadian government denied approval for the Blue Jays to play their home games at Rogers Centre in Toronto, due to concerns surrounding repeated cross-border travel between the United States and Canada by teams involved in its games. With the Blue Jays denied permission to play in Toronto, this was the first season since 1968 (the year before the Montreal Expos were founded) to feature no regular season games played in Canada. After authorities in Pennsylvania rejected the Blue Jays' request to share PNC Park with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Blue Jays struck an agreement to use Sahlen Field, home of their AAA affiliate Buffalo Bisons, for their home games. The first game in Buffalo took place on August 11; the Jays' "home" games prior to that date were scheduled to be played in their opponents' stadiums (though some of these were later postponed). Under MLB's health and safety protocols, all Blue Jays home games were held behind closed doors. The Jays were the first major league baseball team to play its home games in Buffalo, New York since the Buffalo Blues of the Federal League ceased operations in 1915.

Regular season Game log Regular season Legend Blue Jays win Blue Jays loss Game postponed

|- style="background:#bfb;" | 1 || July 24 || @ Rays || 6–4 || Romano (1–0) || Morton (0–1) || Giles (1) || 1–0 || — |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 2 || July 25 || @ Rays || 1–4 || Anderson (1–0) || Gaviglio (0–1) || Drake (1) || 1–1 || — |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 3 || July 26 || @ Rays || 5–6 || Roe (1–0) || Yamaguchi (0–1) || — || 1–2 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 4 || July 27 || @ Nationals || 4–1 || Borucki (1–0) || Sánchez (0–1) || Bass (1) || 2–2 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 5 || July 28 || @ Nationals || 5–1 || Roark (1–0) || Voth (0–1) || — || 3–2 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 6 || July 29 || Nationals || 0–4 || Hudson (1–0) || Yamaguchi (0–2) || — || 3–3 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 7 || July 30 || Nationals || 4–6 || Harper (1–0) || Ryu (0–1) || Hudson (1) || 3–4 || 2 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | — || July 31 || Phillies || colspan="7" | Postponed (COVID-19). Makeup date: August 20.

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | — || August 1 || Phillies || colspan="7" | Postponed (COVID-19). Makeup date: August 20. |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | — || August 2 || Phillies || colspan="7" | Postponed (COVID-19). Makeup date: September 18. |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 8 || August 4 || @ Braves || 1–10 || Fried (2–0) || Shoemaker (0–1) || — || 3–5 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 9 || August 5 || @ Braves || 2–1 || Ryu (1–1) || Newcomb (0–1) || Bass (2) || 4–5 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 10 || August 6 || @ Braves || 3–4 || Melancon (1–0) || Font (0–1) || — || 4–6 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 11 || August 7 || @ Red Sox || 3–5 || Hembree (2–0) || Roark (1–1) || Workman (3) || 4–7 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 12 || August 8 || @ Red Sox || 2–1 || Kay (1–0) || Walden (0–1) || Bass (3) || 5–7 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 13 || August 9 || @ Red Sox || 3–5 || Barnes (1–1) || Hatch (0–1) || — || 5–8 || 3½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 14 || August 11 || Marlins || 5–4 || Cole (1–0) || Tarpley (2–1) || — || 6–8 || 3½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 15 || August 12 || Marlins || 11–14 || Kintzler (1–0) || Dolis (0–1) || Smith (1) || 6–9 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 16 || August 14 || Rays || 12–4 || Font (1–1) || Thompson (1–1) || — || 7–9 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 17 || August 15 || Rays || 2–3 || Loup (2–0) || Romano (1–1) || Anderson (3) || 7–10 || 5½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 18 || August 16 || Rays || 5–7 || Loup (3–0) || Font (1–2) || Slegers (1) || 7–11 || 6½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 19 || August 17 || @ Orioles || 7–2 || Ryu (2–1) || Cobb (1–2) || — || 8–11 || 6½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 20 || August 18 || @ Orioles || 8–7 || Bass (1–0) || Sulser (1–2) || — || 9–11 || 5½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 21 || August 19 || @ Orioles || 5–2 || Roark (2–1) || Milone (1–3) || Dolis (1) || 10–11 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 22 || August 20 || Phillies || 3–2 || Romano (2–1) || Guerra (1–3) || — || 11–11 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 23 || August 20 || Phillies || 9–8 || Kay (2–0) || Neris (1–1) || Cole (1) || 12–11 || 3½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 24 || August 21 || @ Rays || 6–5 || Hatch (1–1) || Loup (3–1) || Romano (1) || 13–11 || 2½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 25 || August 22 || @ Rays || 1–2 || Banda (1–0) || Bass (1–1) || — || 13–12 || 3½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 26 || August 23 || @ Rays || 4–5 || Fleming (1–0) || Borucki (1–1) || Curtiss (1) || 13–13 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 27 || August 24 || @ Rays || 6–4 || Hatch (2–1) || Loup (3–2) || Romano (2) || 14–13 || 3½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 28 || August 25 || Red Sox || 7–9 || Valdéz (1–0) || Font (1–3) || Barnes (2) || 14–14 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 29 || August 26 || Red Sox || 9–1 || Yamaguchi (1–2) || Brewer (0–2) || — || 15–14 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | — || August 27 || Red Sox || colspan=7 | Postponed (Boycotts due to Jacob Blake shooting); Makeup date: September 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 30 || August 28 || Orioles || 5–4 || Dolis (1–1) || Sulser (1–3) || — || 16–14 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 31 || August 29 || Orioles || 5–0 || Walker (3–2) || Cobb (1–3) || — || 17–14 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 32 || August 30 || Orioles || 6–5 || Bass (2–1) || Sulser (1–4) || — || 18–14 || 4½ |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 33 || August 31 || Orioles || 3–4 || Valdez (1–0) || Bass (2–2) || — || 18–15 || 5½

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"