The 2020 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 44th season in Major League Baseball.
On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (including in Toronto), the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being cancelled. Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to the recommendation made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to restrict events of more than 50 people for eight weeks.
On June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season. Players were to report to training camps on July 1 in order to resume spring training and prepare for a July 23 or 24 Opening Day. The team was forced to play their home games in the home of their AAA affiliate in Buffalo, New York.
Due to the pandemic and the shortened season, Major League Baseball instituted certain rule changes which included the use of a universal designated hitter, a runner on second base to start extra innings, and a revised schedule. On July 30, the league and the union agreed that all remaining doubleheaders on the season would be seven innings.
On September 24, the Blue Jays clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2016, and on the next day they clinched their first winning season since 2016 as well. As the eighth seed in the expanded playoff format, they faced the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays in one of four 2020 American League Wild Card Series where they were swept 2âÂÂ0 in the best-of-three series.
For the 2020 season, MLB instituted several new rule changes including the following:
Further rule changes came into effect in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including the use of the DH in the National League, a shortened schedule, and starting extra innings with a runner at second base.
The Blue Jays announced they would return to Montreal to finish their spring training for the seventh consecutive year. The opponents would have been the New York Yankees. However, spring training games, including the aforementioned series in Montreal, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 23, MLB announced the resumption of spring training on July 1.
On July 18, the Canadian government denied approval for the Blue Jays to play their home games at Rogers Centre in Toronto, due to concerns surrounding repeated cross-border travel between the United States and Canada by teams involved in its games. With the Blue Jays denied permission to play in Toronto, this was the first season since 1968 (the year before the Montreal Expos were founded) to feature no regular season games played in Canada. After authorities in Pennsylvania rejected the Blue Jays' request to share PNC Park with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Blue Jays struck an agreement to use Sahlen Field, home of their AAA affiliate Buffalo Bisons, for their home games. The first game in Buffalo took place on August 11; the Jays' "home" games prior to that date were scheduled to be played in their opponents' stadiums (though some of these were later postponed). Under MLB's health and safety protocols, all Blue Jays home games were held behind closed doors. The Jays were the first major league baseball team to play its home games in Buffalo, New York since the Buffalo Blues of the Federal League ceased operations in 1915.
|- style="background:#bfb;" | 1 || July 24 || @ Rays || 6âÂÂ4 || Romano (1âÂÂ0) || Morton (0âÂÂ1) || Giles (1) || 1âÂÂ0 || â |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 2 || July 25 || @ Rays || 1âÂÂ4 || Anderson (1âÂÂ0) || Gaviglio (0âÂÂ1) || Drake (1) || 1âÂÂ1 || â |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 3 || July 26 || @ Rays || 5âÂÂ6 || Roe (1âÂÂ0) || Yamaguchi (0âÂÂ1) || â || 1âÂÂ2 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 4 || July 27 || @ Nationals || 4âÂÂ1 || Borucki (1âÂÂ0) || Sánchez (0âÂÂ1) || Bass (1) || 2âÂÂ2 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 5 || July 28 || @ Nationals || 5âÂÂ1 || Roark (1âÂÂ0) || Voth (0âÂÂ1) || â || 3âÂÂ2 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 6 || July 29 || Nationals || 0âÂÂ4 || Hudson (1âÂÂ0) || Yamaguchi (0âÂÂ2) || â || 3âÂÂ3 || 1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 7 || July 30 || Nationals || 4âÂÂ6 || Harper (1âÂÂ0) || Ryu (0âÂÂ1) || Hudson (1) || 3âÂÂ4 || 2 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | â || July 31 || Phillies || colspan="7" | Postponed (COVID-19). Makeup date: August 20. |-
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | â || August 1 || Phillies || colspan="7" | Postponed (COVID-19). Makeup date: August 20. |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | â || August 2 || Phillies || colspan="7" | Postponed (COVID-19). Makeup date: September 18. |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 8 || August 4 || @ Braves || 1âÂÂ10 || Fried (2âÂÂ0) || Shoemaker (0âÂÂ1) || â || 3âÂÂ5 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 9 || August 5 || @ Braves || 2âÂÂ1 || Ryu (1âÂÂ1) || Newcomb (0âÂÂ1) || Bass (2) || 4âÂÂ5 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 10 || August 6 || @ Braves || 3âÂÂ4 || Melancon (1âÂÂ0) || Font (0âÂÂ1) || â || 4âÂÂ6 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 11 || August 7 || @ Red Sox || 3âÂÂ5 || Hembree (2âÂÂ0) || Roark (1âÂÂ1) || Workman (3) || 4âÂÂ7 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 12 || August 8 || @ Red Sox || 2âÂÂ1 || Kay (1âÂÂ0) || Walden (0âÂÂ1) || Bass (3) || 5âÂÂ7 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 13 || August 9 || @ Red Sox || 3âÂÂ5 || Barnes (1âÂÂ1) || Hatch (0âÂÂ1) || â || 5âÂÂ8 || 3ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 14 || August 11 || Marlins || 5âÂÂ4 || Cole (1âÂÂ0) || Tarpley (2âÂÂ1) || â || 6âÂÂ8 || 3ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 15 || August 12 || Marlins || 11âÂÂ14 || Kintzler (1âÂÂ0) || Dolis (0âÂÂ1) || Smith (1) || 6âÂÂ9 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 16 || August 14 || Rays || 12âÂÂ4 || Font (1âÂÂ1) || Thompson (1âÂÂ1) || â || 7âÂÂ9 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 17 || August 15 || Rays || 2âÂÂ3 || Loup (2âÂÂ0) || Romano (1âÂÂ1) || Anderson (3) || 7âÂÂ10 || 5ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 18 || August 16 || Rays || 5âÂÂ7 || Loup (3âÂÂ0) || Font (1âÂÂ2) || Slegers (1) || 7âÂÂ11 || 6ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 19 || August 17 || @ Orioles || 7âÂÂ2 || Ryu (2âÂÂ1) || Cobb (1âÂÂ2) || â || 8âÂÂ11 || 6ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 20 || August 18 || @ Orioles || 8âÂÂ7 || Bass (1âÂÂ0) || Sulser (1âÂÂ2) || â || 9âÂÂ11 || 5ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 21 || August 19 || @ Orioles || 5âÂÂ2 || Roark (2âÂÂ1) || Milone (1âÂÂ3) || Dolis (1) || 10âÂÂ11 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 22 || August 20 || Phillies || 3âÂÂ2 || Romano (2âÂÂ1) || Guerra (1âÂÂ3) || â || 11âÂÂ11 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 23 || August 20 || Phillies || 9âÂÂ8 || Kay (2âÂÂ0) || Neris (1âÂÂ1) || Cole (1) || 12âÂÂ11 || 3ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 24 || August 21 || @ Rays || 6âÂÂ5 || Hatch (1âÂÂ1) || Loup (3âÂÂ1) || Romano (1) || 13âÂÂ11 || 2ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 25 || August 22 || @ Rays || 1âÂÂ2 || Banda (1âÂÂ0) || Bass (1âÂÂ1) || â || 13âÂÂ12 || 3ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 26 || August 23 || @ Rays || 4âÂÂ5 || Fleming (1âÂÂ0) || Borucki (1âÂÂ1) || Curtiss (1) || 13âÂÂ13 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 27 || August 24 || @ Rays || 6âÂÂ4 || Hatch (2âÂÂ1) || Loup (3âÂÂ2) || Romano (2) || 14âÂÂ13 || 3ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 28 || August 25 || Red Sox || 7âÂÂ9 || Valdéz (1âÂÂ0) || Font (1âÂÂ3) || Barnes (2) || 14âÂÂ14 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 29 || August 26 || Red Sox || 9âÂÂ1 || Yamaguchi (1âÂÂ2) || Brewer (0âÂÂ2) || â || 15âÂÂ14 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbbbbb" | â || August 27 || Red Sox || colspan=7 | Postponed (Boycotts due to Jacob Blake shooting); Makeup date: September 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 30 || August 28 || Orioles || 5âÂÂ4 || Dolis (1âÂÂ1) || Sulser (1âÂÂ3) || â || 16âÂÂ14 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 31 || August 29 || Orioles || 5âÂÂ0 || Walker (3âÂÂ2) || Cobb (1âÂÂ3) || â || 17âÂÂ14 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 32 || August 30 || Orioles || 6âÂÂ5 || Bass (2âÂÂ1) || Sulser (1âÂÂ4) || â || 18âÂÂ14 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 33 || August 31 || Orioles || 3âÂÂ4 || Valdez (1âÂÂ0) || Bass (2âÂÂ2) || â || 18âÂÂ15 || 5ý |-
|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 34 || September 1 || @ Marlins || 2âÂÂ3 || Hoyt (1âÂÂ0) || Yamaguchi (1âÂÂ3) || Kintzler (8) || 18âÂÂ16 || 5ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 35 || September 2 || @ Marlins || 2âÂÂ1 || Ryu (3âÂÂ1) || Sánchez (1âÂÂ1) || Bass (4) || 19âÂÂ16 || 5ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 36 || September 3 || @ Red Sox || 6âÂÂ2 || Dolis (2âÂÂ1) || Valdéz (1âÂÂ1) || â || 20âÂÂ16 || 5 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 37 || September 4 || @ Red Sox || 8âÂÂ7 || Cole (2âÂÂ0) || Godley (0âÂÂ4) || Bass (5) || 21âÂÂ16 || 5 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 38 || September 4 || Red Sox || 2âÂÂ3 || Taylor (1âÂÂ1) || Stripling (3âÂÂ2) || Barnes (4) || 21âÂÂ17 || 5ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 39 || September 5 || @ Red Sox || 8âÂÂ9 || Kickham (1âÂÂ0) || Bass (2âÂÂ3) || â || 21âÂÂ18 || 5ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 40 || September 6 || @ Red Sox || 10âÂÂ8 || Hatch (3âÂÂ1) || Hall (0âÂÂ2) || Dolis (2) || 22âÂÂ18 || 5ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 41 || September 7 || Yankees || 12âÂÂ7 || Reid-Foley (1âÂÂ0) || Ottavino (2âÂÂ3) || â || 23âÂÂ18 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 42 || September 8 || Yankees || 2âÂÂ1 || Yamaguchi (2âÂÂ3) || Happ (1âÂÂ2) || Dolis (3) || 24âÂÂ18 || 3ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 43 || September 9 || Yankees || 2âÂÂ7 || GarcÃÂa (1âÂÂ1) || Stripling (3âÂÂ3) || â || 24âÂÂ19 || 4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 44 || September 11 || Mets || 1âÂÂ18 || deGrom (4âÂÂ1) || Anderson (0âÂÂ1) || RamÃÂrez (1) || 24âÂÂ20 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 45 || September 12 || Mets || 3âÂÂ2 || Ray (2âÂÂ4) || Lugo (2âÂÂ3) || Dolis (4) || 25âÂÂ20 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 46 || September 13 || Mets || 7âÂÂ3 || Ryu (4âÂÂ1) || Peterson (4âÂÂ2) || â || 26âÂÂ20 || 3ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 47 || September 15 || @ Yankees || 6âÂÂ20 || GarcÃÂa (2âÂÂ1) || Walker (3âÂÂ3) || â || 26âÂÂ21 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 48 || September 16 || @ Yankees || 2âÂÂ13 || Cole (6âÂÂ3) || Roark (2âÂÂ2) || â || 26âÂÂ22 || 4ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 49 || September 17 || @ Yankees || 7âÂÂ10 || Tanaka (3âÂÂ2) || Anderson (0âÂÂ2) || Chapman (3) || 26âÂÂ23 || 6 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 50 || September 18 || Phillies || 0âÂÂ7 || Eflin (3âÂÂ2) || Ray (2âÂÂ5) || â || 26âÂÂ24 || 6ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 51 || September 18 || @ Phillies || 7âÂÂ8 || Brogdon (1âÂÂ0) || Dolis (2âÂÂ2) || Neris (5) || 26âÂÂ25 || 7ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 52 || September 19 || @ Phillies || 1âÂÂ3 || Velasquez (1âÂÂ1) || Ryu (4âÂÂ2) || Hunter (1) || 26âÂÂ26 || 8ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 53 || September 20 || @ Phillies || 6âÂÂ3 || Walker (4âÂÂ3) || Medina (0âÂÂ1) || Bass (6) || 27âÂÂ26 || 7ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 54 || September 21 || Yankees || 11âÂÂ5 || Zeuch (1âÂÂ0) || King (1âÂÂ2) || â || 28âÂÂ26 || 7ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 55 || September 22 || Yankees || 1âÂÂ12 || Cole (7âÂÂ3) || Roark (2âÂÂ3) || â || 28âÂÂ27 || 7ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 56 || September 23 || Yankees || 14âÂÂ1 || Cole (3âÂÂ0) || Tanaka (3âÂÂ3) || Stripling (1) || 29âÂÂ27 || 7ý |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 57 || September 24 || Yankees || 4âÂÂ1 || Ryu (5âÂÂ2) || Montgomery (2âÂÂ3) || Dolis (5) || 30âÂÂ27 || 7 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 58 || September 25 || Orioles || 10âÂÂ5 || Pearson (1âÂÂ0) || López (2âÂÂ2) || âÂÂ|| 31âÂÂ27 || 7 |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 59 || September 26 || Orioles || 5âÂÂ2 || Anderson (1âÂÂ2) || Means (2âÂÂ4) || Bass (7) || 32âÂÂ27 || 7 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 60 || September 27 || Orioles || 5âÂÂ7 || Lakins (3âÂÂ2) || Yamaguchi (2âÂÂ4) || Valdez (3) || 32âÂÂ28 || 8 |-
|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 1 || September 29 || @ Rays || 1âÂÂ3 || Snell (1âÂÂ0) || Ray (0âÂÂ1) || Fairbanks (1) || 0âÂÂ1 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 2 || September 30 || @ Rays || 2âÂÂ8 || Glasnow (1âÂÂ0) || Ryu (0âÂÂ1) || â || 0âÂÂ2 |-
| style="text-align:left" |
|- valign="top"
'
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; Ref. = Reference
'
Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; WHIP = Walks plus hits per inning pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts; Ref. = Reference
The 2020 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft occurred on Monday, June 10 through June 11, 2020. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the draft was shortened to only five rounds.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball announced the cancellation of the entire Minor League Baseball season on June 30. The Blue Jays taxi squad was based at Frontier Field in Rochester, New York.