Philly AT Toronto Series in June - moved to Philly

[Go Skins]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100511&content_id=9963262&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi

The Phillies will have the rare fortune of playing 84 regular-season games on their home field this year.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that they have moved the June 25-27 series against the Phillies from Rogers Centre in Toronto to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia because of the G20 Summit.

The G20, which hosts many of the world's political and financial leaders, is scheduled to be held June 26-27 at the Metro Convention Center, and there are massive security and congestion issues with the two sites just feet away.

The series in Toronto could have brought large crowds with the return of former ace Roy Halladay, who was traded to the Phillies in December for prospects. Things certainly can change between now and then, but if the Phillies' rotation remains on schedule, Halladay would pitch June 24 against Cleveland and miss the Blue Jays series.

The Blue Jays will be the "home team" at Citizens Bank Park, hitting last, and the designated hitter will be utilized.

There also was no information on how the Phillies and Blue Jays will work out the finances of the series.

Toronto will now play just 78 games on its home field. The move gives the Jays a 10-game road trip through Philadelphia, Cleveland and New York from June 25-July 4. It gives the Phillies a nine-game homestand from June 18-27 against Minnesota, Cleveland and Toronto, and shortens a road trip scheduled for June 28-July 4 against the Reds and Pirates to seven games.