Editing Sahlen Field (section)

===MLB residency and renovation, 2020–2021===
[[File:Sahlen Field, Buffalo, New York, with Blue Jays branding and players warming up - August 2020.jpeg|thumb|left|A view of the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] warming up from Exchange Street parking ramp, August 2020]]

In June 2020, the Buffalo Bisons canceled their season at the venue due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bisons will not play in 2020 as Minor League Baseball seasons are canceled |url=https://www.milb.com/buffalo/news/2020-bisons-season-canceled |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |date=June 30, 2020}}</ref> The [[Toronto Blue Jays]], the Bisons' major league affiliate, announced the following month that they would play their [[2020 Toronto Blue Jays season|2020 season]] at the venue after the government of Canada denied them permission to play at [[Rogers Centre]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vera |first1=Amir |last2=Ly |first2=Laura |last3=De La Fuente |first3=Homero |title=Canada denies Toronto Blue Jays' request to play home games due to pandemic |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/18/us/canada-mlb-blue-jays-denied-spt-trnd/index.html |work=CNN |date=July 18, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Davidi |first1=Shi |title=Blue Jays to play majority of home games at Buffalo's Sahlen Field |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-play-home-games-buffalos-sahlen-field/ |website=Sportsnet.ca |date=July 24, 2020}}</ref> The venue's first Major League Baseball game took place on August 11, 2020, in which the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] defeated the [[Miami Marlins]] 5–4 in [[extra innings]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davidi |first1=Shi |title=Blue Jays christen Buffalo home with walk-off win over Marlins |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-christen-buffalo-home-walk-off-win-marlins/ |website=Sportsnet.ca |date=August 11, 2020}}</ref> The Blue Jays finished the season with a 32–28 record, and advanced to the [[2020 American League Wild Card Series|American League Wild Card Series]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Toronto Blue Jays Team History & Encyclopedia | website=Baseball-Reference.com | date=May 23, 2022 | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/index.shtml | access-date=May 30, 2022}}</ref>

Major League Baseball and the Blue Jays organization jointly funded renovations of the venue prior to the 2020 season at a cost of $5 million.<ref>{{cite web | last=Fink | first=James | title=What MLB personnel see near Sahlen Field: $340M in development | website=wgrz.com | date=September 22, 2020 | url=https://www.wgrz.com/article/money/economy/what-mlb-personnel-see-near-sahlen-field-340m-in-development/71-c03e9f87-77a6-4cb5-971b-46b3691cab11 | access-date=May 30, 2022}}</ref> Permanent upgrades included installation of [[Light-emitting diode|LED]] field lighting, installation of [[Instant replay in Major League Baseball|instant replay]] technology, installation of [[Hawk-Eye]] for [[Statcast]] tracking, a resurfaced [[infield]], and relocation of the home [[Dugout (baseball)|dugout]] to the third-base side of the stadium. Temporary facilities designed for the postponed [[MLB at Field of Dreams]] game were also utilized.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harrington |first1=Mike |title=What has to be done to get Sahlen Field ready for MLB, Blue Jays |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/local/what-has-to-be-done-to-get-sahlen-field-ready-for-mlb-blue-jays/article_86a0b440-cdf7-11ea-aa8a-6bec5a218c23.html |work=The Buffalo News |date=July 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Zwelling | first=Arden | title=How Blue Jays transformed Sahlen Field into their temporary home | website=Sportsnet.ca | date=May 29, 2022 | url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-transformed-sahlen-field-temporary-home/ | access-date=May 30, 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Sahlen Field Bullpens - Toronto Blue Jays.jpg|thumb|right|[[Bullpen]]s, July 2021]]

The Blue Jays used the venue for part of their [[2021 Toronto Blue Jays season|2021 season]] due to the ongoing pandemic, after having started the season at [[TD Ballpark]]. The Bisons accommodated this residency by temporarily relocating to [[Trenton Thunder Ballpark]] in [[Trenton, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Bisons to begin 2021 season playing home games in Trenton, NJ | website=[[Minor League Baseball]] | date=May 30, 2022 | url=https://www.milb.com/news/bisons-temporary-home-relocation-trenton | access-date=May 30, 2022}}</ref> The venue drew higher attendance for MLB home games than the [[Miami Marlins]], [[Oakland A's]] and [[Tampa Bay Rays]] drew at their own home venues.<ref>{{cite web | last=Hunter | first=Ian | title=Blue Jays games in Buffalo outdraw three other MLB teams in attendance - Offside | website=Daily Hive Vancouver | date=July 23, 2021 | url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/blue-jays-games-buffalo-mlb-teams-attendance | access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> The Blue Jays played 49 Major League Baseball games at the venue over the course of two seasons, tying [[Hiram Bithorn Stadium]] for the all-time record of most regular season games hosted by a non-home ballpark.<ref>{{cite web | last=Bisons | first=Buffalo | title=STMA names Sahlen Field 'Professional Baseball Field of the Year' | website=[[Minor League Baseball]] | date=January 17, 2022 | url=https://www.milb.com/news/sahlen-field-baseball-field-of-the-year | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129224515/https://www.milb.com/news/sahlen-field-baseball-field-of-the-year | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 29, 2021 | access-date=January 17, 2022}}</ref>

The Bisons and Blue Jays jointly funded additional renovations of the venue prior to the 2021 season. These permanent upgrades included the installation of new light standards, new [[batting cages]], new [[foul pole]]s, a resurfaced [[outfield]], and the relocation of both [[bullpen]]s from foul territory to right-center field.<ref>{{cite web | title=What's new at Sahlen Field for the Blue Jays | website=Buffalo News | date=June 1, 2021 | url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/baseball/whats-new-at-sahlen-field-for-the-blue-jays/article_692f998e-c302-11eb-a4f7-e795adc6b415.html | access-date=May 30, 2022}}</ref> The renovated venue was named Professional Baseball Field of the Year in November 2021 by Sports Turf Managers Association.<ref>{{cite web | title=STMA names Sahlen Field 'Professional Baseball Field of the Year' | website=[[Minor League Baseball]] | date=November 29, 2021 | url=https://www.milb.com/news/sahlen-field-baseball-field-of-the-year | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129224515/https://www.milb.com/news/sahlen-field-baseball-field-of-the-year | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 29, 2021 | access-date=November 29, 2021}}</ref> The renovations were also nominated for Project of the Year at the 2021 Stadium Business Awards.<ref>{{cite web | title=#SBA21 AWARDS: 2021 Finalists Announced | website=TheStadiumBusiness Summit | date=October 27, 2021 | url=https://www.stadiumbusinesssummit.com/sba21-awards-2021-finalists-announced/ | access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>