The Toronto Blue Jays and Phillies will begin their three-game interleague series with a doubleheader on Saturday in Philadelphia, Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday.
Saturday’s doubleheader will begin at 3:07 p.m. ET, and Sunday’s series finale will remain at 3:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays are the home team, despite the games being in Philadelphia.
The scheduling change comes as Major League Baseball exercises an abundance of caution after the Phillies opened their season against the visiting Miami Marlins, who reportedly have had 18 members — 16 players and two staff — test positive for COVID-19.
The Phillies saw their two-city, four-game interleague series against the New York Yankees postponed this week.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday that the Phillies did not have a player or staff member test positive for COVID-19 for the second straight day. A visiting clubhouse attendant at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia did, however, according to ESPN.
The Blue Jays eventually will play their home games at Buffalo’s Sahlen Field, which is undergoing upgrades for MLB play. Their first game in Buffalo is scheduled for Aug. 11 against Miami.
Toronto was restricted from playing home games at Rogers Centre by the Canadian government due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Blue Jays later were rejected by local governments in efforts to play home games in Pittsburgh and Baltimore this season.
