Blue Jays to migrate from Florida to New York for home games

May 5 (UPI) -- The Toronto Blue Jays, who started the 2021 MLB season with home games in Dunedin, Fla., will move their temporary home to Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y., on June 1, the team announced Wednesday.

COVID-19 travel restrictions at the United States-Canada border prevent the Blue Jays from playing games at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Blue Jays used Sahlen Field as their home stadium for the 2020 season.

The Blue Jays announced in February that they would play their first two home stands of 2021 at their minor league site in Dunedin with "hopes of a return to play at Rogers Centre as soon as possible."

Sahlen Field houses the franchise's Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons. The Blue Jays haven't played at Rogers Centre since Sept. 29, 2019.

"The club's goal has always been to return to play on home soil as soon as it is safe to do so and until then, the team will play its home games at Sahlen Field," the Blue Jays said in a news release.

The Blue Jays plan to build a new weight room and batting cages, replace the field with new sod and the renovate clubhouse facilities in Buffalo. The team will host 24% of Sahlen Field's typical capacity of just under 17,000 fans.

The Blue Jays play the Miami Marlins on June 1 and 2 in Buffalo. They have 10 games remaining in Dunedin.