State health officials won't allow Blue Jays to use PNC Park - TribLIVE

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Pennsylvania’s Department of Health will not permit the Toronto Blue Jays to play at PNC Park in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, officials announced Wednesday afternoon.

The Blue Jays were seeking a major-league venue to play their home games after the Canadian government declared the Rogers Centre in Toronto off limits to prevent visiting teams from crossing the border.

“In recent weeks, we have seen a significant increase in the number of covid-19 cases in southwestern Pennsylvania,” Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s secretary of health, said in a statement. “To add travelers to this region for any reason, including for professional sports events, risks residents, visitors and members of both teams.

“We know that this virus does not discriminate and can even make professional athletes very sick. We are committed to protecting the health and well-being of all Pennsylvanians.”

MLB had informed the Blue Jays they would play the majority of their home games at PNC Park, but the agreement was pending approval from the state.

“This is an unprecedented situation and, therefore, we understand and support Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision,” Pirates President Travis Williams said in a statement. “We are in agreement that the safety and health of those in our region must remain paramount. We are confident that the great people within the Blue Jays organization, working with Major League Baseball, will secure another option very soon.”

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, speaking at a news conference Wednesday, said Pittsburgh and county officials had been in conversations about welcoming the Blue Jays and thought it could be done. He said there were some reservations, knowing it could never be 100% safe, but they were “kind of OK” with it.

“I know we’re all anxious to get back to somewhat normal and watch our favorite team play and our athletes perform. … There’s going to be risks,” he said.

He compared the situation to that of schools and other sectors reopening, emphasizing the need to be flexible.

“Major league sports, particularly, are uncharted waters that we’re going to be seeing over the coming weeks,” he said. “I think everybody’s going to be monitoring very closely, testing of athletes, testing of staff and personnel to see how safely this can occur.”

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, called the decision to ban the Blue Jays “baffling and disappointing” and he said he hopes Wolf will reconsider.

“If it is safe for Pittsburgh to host the Pirates and visiting clubs for 30 games — and it is — then it is safe for Pittsburgh to host the Pirates, the Blue Jays, and visiting teams for nearly 60 games.

“Major League Baseball and the Players Association are adhering to CDC guidelines and implementing a rigorous covid-19 prevention and testing program.

“The Blue Jays in Pittsburgh would have meant more hours for some ballpark workers, increased tax revenue for the city, and a small yet meaningful boost for a number of local businesses struggling during the pandemic. I hope the Governor will change his mind before the Blue Jays find somewhere else to call home this summer.”

Toomey convened a virtual roundtable Tuesday on what MLB is doing to keep players safe while resuming play.

Canada has flattened the epidemic curve, but covid-19 cases are surging in the U.S. The number of new confirmed cases of the coronavirus reported daily by Allegheny County, including Pittsburgh and 1.2 million residents, has increased tenfold in the past two weeks.

Health officials have blamed the spread primarily on bars and restaurants that were ignoring social-distancing orders, as well as residents returning from travel to virus hot spots.

In an attempt to mitigate the spread, health officials issued several orders shutting down bars and restaurants, curtailing dine-in service and recommending that people returning from certain states self-isolate at home for 14 days.

Williams previously confirmed the talks to host the Blue Jays and sounded ready to welcome them if it could be done safely. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said he was excited about the PNC Park option and Pirates manager Derek Shelton said he would have no problem sharing the venue with the Blue Jays, a team he served as hitting coach in 2015 and ‘16.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, who came to Pittsburgh after three seasons as the Blue Jays’ vice president of baseball operations, said he was hoping to help the Blue Jays out of a difficult situation.

“The reality is that we need the Blue Jays to play in order for all of us to play,” Cherington said. “It’s a league full of 30 teams, and we need 30 teams in order to start the season.”

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said this week his team has more than five contingency plans for a home stadium and was in talks with other teams. He declined to name them.

Atkins said if the Blue Jays can’t find a major league park, their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, N.Y., would be their most likely site for home games.

The team had been considering playing home games at its training facility in Dunedin, Fla., but that is among the states that are virus hot spots.

Based on what the players want and the collaboration they are getting from other teams and Major League Baseball, Atkins said the Blue Jays are focused on major league parks, as long as they can be safe. He said health and safety is the priority, so the ability to be socially distant without comprising other teams’ ability to maintain socially distant is important.

Toronto begins the season at Tampa Bay on Friday and is scheduled to play its first home game July 29 against the defending champion Washington Nationals. That would have conflicted with the Pirates’ home game against the Milwaukee Brewers, but the Blue Jays’ first game at PNC Park would have been Aug. 11 against the Miami Marlins.

Tribune-Review staff writer Teghan Simonton and Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jerry DiPaola is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jerry by email at jdipaola@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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