Blue Jays returning to Buffalo for June 1, allowing limited fan attendance

The Toronto Blue Jays' stay in Dunedin, Florida, is nearing its end as the team is set to return to Buffalo's Sahlen Field - the home of its Triple-A affiliate - effective June 1, the team announced Wednesday.

The Blue Jays used Sahlen Field as their home base in 2020 after renovating the ballpark to major-league specifications. They opened the 2021 season at TD Ballpark, their spring training facility in Dunedin.

Unlike last year, the team will allow fans to attend games in Buffalo, with Sahlen Field operating at 24% capacity.

The Blue Jays made additional changes to Sahlen Field ahead of the 2021 season. Those renovations included moving the bullpens beyond the outfield walls and the construction of new batting cages, weight rooms, and clubhouse facilities, according to Hazel Mae of Sportsnet.

The stadium is typically the home of the Buffalo Bisons, who opened their minor-league season Tuesday and are playing their home games this year in Trenton, New Jersey. Tuesday's contest was the Bisons' first game since 2019 after last year's MiLB season was canceled.

The Blue Jays are slated to begin a five-game homestand on June 1, with a two-game set against the Miami Marlins followed by a three-game series versus the Houston Astros.

The team has only one homestand remaining at TD Ballpark: a 10-game stretch in 11 days from May 14-24. The club is 7-4 so far in home games this year.

The Blue Jays have not played a home game in Toronto since the 2019 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. They are the only MLB team that has been forced into a new home because of COVID-19. The Toronto Raptors, who are playing their home games in Tampa, are the only NBA team spending the 2020-21 season away from its home market.