When the Toronto Blue Jays first opened the doors at Skydome on June 3, 1989, the building made its own kind of debut. The retractable roof was the headline feature, and the weather promptly reminded everyone why that mattered when an unexpected thunderstorm soaked performers and spectators during the Opening Ceremonies.
Two days later, the Blue Jays played their first game there and fell 5-3 to the Milwaukee Brewers. Fred McGriff also carved out a bit of history that day, becoming the first player to homer inside Skydome.
Fast forward 37 years, and the ballpark now sits as the sixth-oldest stadium in MLB. That ranking could shift soon, though, thanks to the sale of the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke on Sept. 2 and the new ballpark plans that are expected to follow.
Kroenke’s arrival ended Arte Moreno’s 23-year run as Angels owner, a stretch that drew plenty of criticism because the team had not reached the playoffs since 2014. The first major move expected from the new owner is a push to replace Angel Stadium with a new home.
Angel Stadium opened in 1966, making it the fourth-oldest stadium in MLB behind Dodger Stadium, Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. Over the years, it has hosted 10 postseason appearances and a World Series championship in 2002.
New Angels owner Stan Kroenke intends to build a new $2.5 billion ballpark to replace Angel Stadium, per @Forbes
The Angels’ current stadium is the 4th-oldest in MLB, having been opened in 1966. pic.twitter.com/RcDN8Xke7w
- Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 2, 2026
For Angels fans, Kroenke’s track record across sports should only add to the optimism. He already owns the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Rams and Arsenal, and each of those teams has won a championship in the last decade.
For Blue Jays fans, the ripple effect is different. If Angel Stadium gets replaced, Rogers Centre would move up to fifth-oldest in the league, just behind Kauffman Stadium, which would slide to fourth after opening in 1973. Neither park appears likely to disappear anytime soon, especially with recent renovations at Rogers Centre over the last three years and Kauffman Stadium’s updates from 2007 to 2009.
The top of the list looks stable, too. Fenway Park, which opened in 1912, remains a Boston fixture despite early-2000s renovations and earlier proposals for a replacement called “New Fenway Park” that were stopped by public push back.
Wrigley Field has a similar kind of permanence. The Cubs have called 1060 W.
Addison St. home since 1914, and while the team once threatened to leave in the mid-2010s, that was mostly a move to help secure funding for major renovations. Dodger Stadium, opened in 1962, rounds out the group ahead of the Jays’ home.
Even as the Rogers Centre approaches 40 years in MLB, it has continued to evolve into a modern facility and a destination for baseball fans. With the support of Mark Shapiro helping drive those upgrades, the Blue Jays do not appear to be heading for a new home any time soon.
In Other News...
Anthony Santander Suddenly Has A Chance To Change Torontos Lineup
Anthony Santander is finally on the verge of getting back into game action, a development that could matter a lot for a Blue Jays lineup that has been waiting all season for his presence. He is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo, his first action since October 2025, after spending more than seven months sidelined by left shoulder surgery in February.
Toronto plans to ease him back in as a corner outfielder, which gives the club a chance to see how his bat and his defensive usage fit once he is ready for the majors again. For a team looking to reshape its everyday mix, Santanders return is more than a medical milestone. It is the start of a stretch that could change how the Blue Jays line up around him, even if the final answer is still a little way off. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Are Riding One Unexpected Strength Back Into The Race
The Blue Jays have spent most of the season trying to claw their way back to respectability, and the push has been built on a surprising source. After finally getting back to .500 at 72-72 and snapping a 135-game stretch below it, Toronto has leaned heavily on a bullpen that has been one of baseballs steadiest groups over the last few months. Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers and Spencer Miles have been central to that run, giving the club the kind of late-game stability it rarely seemed to have earlier in the year.
What stands out most is how the relief corps has handled messy innings. Toronto leads MLB with 295 combined relief appearances without allowing inherited runners to score, a marker that speaks to both execution and poise in tight spots. For a team that has spent so long chasing the standings, that kind of reliability matters, and it has helped turn what once looked like a lost season into something at least worth monitoring down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Deadline Gamble On Arrighetti Is Getting Harder To Ignore
At the 2026 MLB trade deadline, the Blue Jays made one of the boldest moves of their season, sending Daulton Varsho to Houston for right-hander Spencer Arrighetti in a deal designed to help stabilize the rotation. For a while, it looked like Toronto might have landed the arm it wanted. Arrighetti came out of the gate well enough to justify the gamble, and with the Blue Jays pushing through a playoff race, every turn in the rotation has carried extra weight.
The problem is the margin for optimism has narrowed since then. Arrighetti has slipped after his strong start, spent time on the injured list because of Morton's neuroma, and has had a harder time finding his footing since returning. Varsho's bat has been uneven for the Astros, but his defense still gives Houston something tangible, which only sharpens the uncertainty around how this trade will be judged if Toronto keeps leaning on Arrighetti down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]