Not just big bats but big guns as well at Blue Jays opener

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The big guns are not just on the Toronto Blue Jays roster!

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While the Blue Jays brought out the big bats to open up their half-century season inside the Rogers Centre on Friday night, outside Toronto Police brought out the rifles.

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Certainly, Task Force Guardian is an interesting change in a city celebrating its 50th home opener as a Major League Baseball city.

Back in 1977, the world seemed a little simpler. At that first opening day, it was more about keeping warm at the old Exhibition Stadium.

“It was magical,” legendary Paul Beeston said of that first game.

He later went on to be president of the team and was around for many great moments, but said the 2025 run to the World Series was as special as the two championships in 1992 and 1993.

“I loved every minute of 2025,” he said. “It was magical too.”

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It sure was. The city of Toronto loved every minute of it. It was as close as a team can get to winning as is humanely possible.

Inside there was jubilation when superstars Vladdy Guerrero and George Springer did the countdown to the last banner to drop at the Rogers Centre.

Not the focus is on what the Jays can do in 2026. You could feel the excitement all the way into the dome from every direction.

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But seeing the police officers wearing tactical gear and carrying C8 Carbine semi-automatic rifles outside Rogers Centre as part of routine patrols was something new for Toronto. But something the city may have to get used to.

As Police Chief Myron Demkiw said recently, post the shootings of the U.S. consulate and three synagogues as well as both Jewish and Iranian-Canadian businesses, they have to be ready for anything new.

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This was the first deployment of the new task force, and leading the officers as well as the K9 and mounted units was Insp. Pete Morris, who said they were trying to convey safety while also not wanting to concern anybody about there being an imminent threat.

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The chief has indicated this unit was not established based on any one concern but for overall safety stemming from the war in Iran and the continuous protests here in Toronto.

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Inside the stadium it was business as usual. There was no feeling of extra security. It was just fun. From the outstanding national anthems by Vanessa Sears of the theatre musical & Juliet with help on violin by Daniela Olano Garcia, to the presentation of the championship banner, it felt like Game 8 of the World Series. It was like the pandemonium just picked up where last fall’s amazing playoff run left off.

The fans, all 42,728 of them in the sold-out building, were loud and savouring every minute as the Jays hosted the Athletics.

Ivan Dzaia and his son Antonio, 10, scored some wicked seats behind the bullpen – not far from the family of four Bapi and Axa and their kids Alaya, six, and Shai, eight.

A perfect family night.

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Also a special night for Amanda Cummins, who was at her first ever Blue Jays game – where they even gave her a certificate.

“I am so thrilled,” she said. “I am from Australia and had never been to a baseball game before.”

Her Canadian pal Geoff Jacques changed that. Now she’s hooked.

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“We are coming back for the second game Saturday,” she said. “I love the energy here.”

Between the new-look stadium and a team that came within a centimetre of winning it all, the Blue Jays are everything that is good about Toronto and Canada.

Next comes the FIFA World Cup this summer, which will be a special time for the city as well.

And Toronto Police’s new tactical unit was sort of treating this first game like a spring training outing ahead of the soccer tournament.

It worked out pretty well on a night when the Raptors and Sceptres also played downtown.

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