No Blue Jays Games During G20 Summit
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The long-awaited return of former Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay has been scuttled because of security concerns stemming from the G20 summit.
The Blue Jays said Tuesday that the three game inter-league series with the Phillies, which was to take place at Rogers Centre from June 25 to June 27, had been moved to Philadelphia.
Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said the move was the result of discussions with the Jays, G20 organizers and Toronto city officials.
"After reviewing all of the options with the parties and taking all of the security considerations into account, it was determined that the best course of action is to play the series in Philadelphia," Selig said in an MLB press release.
"Doc" Halladay was the Jays' first pick in the 1995 MLB draft. He played for the Jays from 1998 to 2009 and became one of the sport's most celebrated pitchers. Halladay captured the Cy Young award in 2003.
The series with Philadelphia would have been the first opportunity for local fans to see Halladay up close since he was moved to the Phillies as part of a three-team trade last December.
Rogers Sports Entertainment chief Paul Beeston said that the decision was not taken "lightly" by Jays' management.
"We did not want to move the games but in looking at the realities of this situation, we felt that relocation was the most prudent course of action," he said in a release.
The G20 Summit will take over Toronto's downtown core and take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. The Rogers Centre is within a pre-determined security zone for the event.
MLB said that despite the venue change, the Jays will still be considered the home team.