16 Jays players and coaches describe atmosphere, emotion of opening day

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TORONTO — Most of us know first-hand what kind of atmosphere can accompany a winning baseball team in Toronto.

Other than perhaps watching from afar more than half a decade ago, not many current Blue Jays truly understood it.

Until Friday night.

With 45,022 packed inside Rogers Centre for the first time in what felt like forever — it was the first true sellout since March 29, 2018 — everyone finally got a taste, as the 2022 season started the same way the 2021 campaign ended … in dramatic fashion.

I won’t bore you with my thoughts on it.

Here’s how 16 players and coaches described the atmosphere and emotion of it all.

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. “It felt amazing. This is my first opening day here in Toronto and when you see all the fans cheering for you, you try to be good and all the work you put in the off-season, you’re here. That made me feel like home.”

BO BICHETTE “It was amazing. The team as a whole was a lot more calm than I expected and I think we did a great job handling it. I think the jitters were more just the lead up to the game. Once the game started I think we did a pretty good job. The fans were awesome. Definitely met my expectations, for sure.”

GEORGE SPRINGER “It was awesome. I wish I could’ve hit the ball a little better, but it’s all good. I think, for us, it’s just a sense of normalcy here and to have this place like that, which I’ve seen as a road player get loud, get hectic, it was awesome. That’s pretty much standard issue Blue Jays. We’re never down and out. With this offence, with this team, we’re always in the game. Last night was stuff that we saw all last year.”

CAVAN BIGGIO “It was a lot of things, but to sum it up it was definitely a moment I’m going to remember for the rest