Blue Jays announce they will train in Toronto for MLB season

On Thursday, the Blue Jays confirmed that the club will hold spring training 2.0 sessions at Rogers Centre leading up to Opening Day, which is tentatively scheduled for July 23. 

The Blue Jays closed the club's spring training facilities in Dunedin, Fla., after multiple players and staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. 

There were fears quarantine rules would prohibit the club from returning to Toronto, but the franchise announced on Thursday via an official statement that the Canadian government granted its approval:

“The plan for hosting Summer Training Camp in Toronto required government and public health approval at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. At its core, the plan necessitates players and club personnel to enter a closed environment at Rogers Centre, which is isolated from the general public. 

"In collaboration with public health agencies, the Blue Jays have established comprehensive protocols to ensure the highest standards of health and safety are met prior to and during travel, and to create a cohort quarantine environment at Rogers Centre and the adjoining hotel. These protocols will be in place in addition to those outlined in the 2020 MLB Operations Manual.”

Fans longing to see the Blue Jays play in Toronto shouldn't celebrate quite yet. The club added that this special exemption for training doesn't extend through Opening Day and the start of games. 

The Blue Jays explained: “The team continues to pursue (hosting games in Toronto) with the health and safety of the general public and the team at the forefront. The Blue Jays will communicate updates about the regular season as information becomes available.”

Club personnel will stay at a hotel attached to Rogers Centre.