Toronto Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro Shares Positive Update on Bringing MLB to Vancouver
Although hockey is undoubtedly the biggest sport in Canada, baseball also enjoys significant popularity. Yet the Toronto Blue Jays are still the only Canadian team in the MLB. The Blue Jays’ success over the past decade has certainly popularized the game even further in the country. At the same time, Vancouver is also showing strong interest in having an MLB team in the city.
The Toronto Blue Jays support an MLB expansion team in Vancouver if the opportunity arises. Team president Mark Shapiro reiterated their stance in a statement to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. He stated that the Blue Jays will always support the possibility of another Canadian team in MLB.
“We are supportive of any effort to grow baseball in Canada, and that would include the opportunity to bring MLB to Vancouver,” Shapiro said.
Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro on the possibility of expansion in Vancouver: “We are supportive of any effort to grow baseball in Canada, and that would include the opportunity to bring MLB to Vancouver.” (per @Sportsnet) pic.twitter.com/adOM6UYh0t
— SleeperBlueJays (@SleeperBlueJays) April 30, 2026
The Blue Jays started as an expansion franchise in the American League in 1977. They won the World Series in 1992 and 1993, besides reaching the Fall Classic last year. They are perceived as “Canada’s Team,” as they receive support from across the country for being the lone MLB team from the nation.
MLB Analyst Predicts Mariners To Suffer More Than Blue Jays With MLB Team In Vancouver
Although having another team from Canada will probably have a detrimental effect on the popularity of the Toronto Blue Jays in other parts of the country. However, MLB analyst Jason Burke believes the Seattle Mariners will face the greatest effect if there is a team in Vancouver.
“While the Blue Jays may not like there to be another team in Vancouver, they’re not likely to be the loudest opponent—if they hold any opposition at all,” Burke wrote. “Instead, the opposition would fall to the Seattle Mariners, who currently sit unopposed in the Pacific Northwest.”
“Vancouver is just 143 miles (230 km) from Seattle, which would eat directly into their current territory. While fans in Vancouver may not travel across Canada to Toronto for a Jays game routinely, they could easily make it to Seattle and back in one day.”
Vancouver is situated across from Toronto on the west coast of Canada in British Columbia. It has a population of about 662,248, according to the 2021 census, with a density of 5,749.7 per sq km.
Toronto Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro Shares Positive Update on Bringing MLB to Vancouver
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