In Toronto, Mark Colley reported the Blue Jays are “putting the finishing touches on the second phase of renovations" at the Rogers Centre. A photo and video released by the team shows the dirt infield and turf has "returned to the playing surface as the ballpark is 'almost ready for baseball.'" The turf, with a Blue Jays logo behind home plate, looks “just as it did at the end of last season, with slight changes to the dimensions of foul area on the left and right sides of the field." In the seating bowl, "new navy blue seats have been installed and tunnels to the premium clubs below" (TORONTO STAR, 3/19).
POST SERIES INTEREST: In Phoenix, Paul Thompson reported that D-backs ticket sales are up 300% year-over-year following the team’s World Series run last season, according to recent data from StubHub. The increase is a “higher rate of increase in StubHub ticket sales than any other team" in MLB. The bump puts the team ahead of even the Dodgers, which saw a 250% increase. Rounding out the top five were the World Series champion Rangers (200%), Blue Jays (120%) and Guardians (100%). According to StubHub, Spring Training tickets for the D-backs also have “nearly doubled from 2023” (PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/19).
