• 1st visit to Rogers Center (MLB Ballpark #26)
• 3rd different ballpark watching the Toronto Blue Jays
• 5th different ballpark watching the Cincinnati Reds

This is Game 1 of a two-day trip in Toronto. I had not intended to go to Toronto when I was making my plans for 2024. However, over the summer I got an ad for cheap airfare to Canada and I jumped at it. I had bought my flight before I knew I was going to Texas for work. If I had known I was going to Texas, I might not have bought the tickets to Canada. Ultimately, I am happy I made the trip to Toronto.

I’d shared in previous posts that I had met Ian from Canada who was watching five of the same games I was attending. I’ll bet meeting up with him at this home ballpar this time.

Unexpectedly, I would also meet up with the creator of the MLB Ballpark Passport program, Tim Parks, who shared that he would be there the day of.

Seat Selection

• Section 525 (upper deck)

When I planned to buy tickets for my two Blue Jays games, I decided I would buy cheap for one game and value for the other. Game 1 was the cheap ticket and a walk-the-ballpark kind of game.

Highlights of the Game

Despite the walk-the-ballpark kind of a game for me, there were still plenty of highlights for me to catch.

The Blue Jays started the game with a 6-0 over the Reds at the end of the 3rd inning. However, the Reds would come back scored two run in the 4th and five runs in the 5th toward a Blue Jays collapse.

During the game, Elly de la Cruz would steal his 60th base in the 5th inning for a rare 20/60 season.

Finally, for the first time in MLB history, four Reds players (Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, Jonathan India, and Elly De La Cruz) each hit a home run and stole a base in the same game.

Ballpark Food of Choice

• Maple Bacon Footlong Hot Dog

If you are going to Canada for ballpark food, it’s a good time to find foods that are uniquely Canadian. The footlong hot dog is stopped with maple syrup, bacon crumbles, and cinnamon roll frosting.