#Toronto Blue Jays will play most of their home games in Buffalo

The team will play most of its home games at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, the organization announced. It is the home of Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons.

After the Canadian government denied the team’s proposal to play in Toronto at the Rogers Centre, the team has spent the last two weeks searching for a new home. They explored sharing a stadium with both the Pirates and Orioles, but neither option panned out.

“We are extremely grateful to have a home in Buffalo this season, thanks to the openness, creativity, and partnership of the Buffalo Bisons, Major League Baseball, and Blue Jays staff, who have worked tirelessly to prepare us for games at Sahlen Field,” Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro said in a statement. “This process has no doubt tested our team’s resilience, but our players and staff refuse to make excuses – we are determined to take the field on Opening Day today, and for the coming months, with the same intensity and competitiveness that our fans expect.”

The team thanked Gov. Andrew Cuomo in its release.

The Blue Jays could play in Buffalo as soon as next Friday against the Phillies, according to The Buffalo News, but will more likely play its first game there on Aug. 11 against the Marlins. The team’s first home games are Wednesday and Thursday against the Nationals, but those are expected to be played at Nationals Park, according to the report.

Toronto opens its season against the Rays at Tropicana Field tonight.