Blue Jays, Rangers will play under the dome as ALDS opens at Rogers Centre

TORONTO – Despite sunshine, the roof is closed for the Blue Jays’ playoff opener Thursday against the Texas Rangers.

Major League Baseball controls whether the Rogers Centre lid will be on during the post-season, arguing that leaving the decision in the hands of the home team is not appropriate.

The game is slated to start at 3:37 p.m. local time with the forecast calling for 14 degrees Celsius and a 20 per cent chance of precipitation.

The Jays were 38-14 this season with the roof open and 11-14 when the roof was closed. They were 4-0 when the roof was closed midway through a game.

Popular hockey personality Don Cherry was among the Jays fans miffed that the roof was closed. He went so far as to call it an anti-Canadian measure taken by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

“I think it’s a Canadian conspiracy, that Commissioner Manfred has against Canada, that he has this dome closed,” Cherry said during the pre-game show of the game’s broadcast. “It’s a beautiful day outside, what’s the hell’s the sense of having a dome?”