Nationals' Doolittle hopes MLB returns to Montreal full time: 'No halfsies'
After getting to wear the baby blue Expos uniform as part of a throwback night for the Washington Nationals, Sean Doolittle wants baseball to return to Montreal, and not in the way it's recently been proposed.
"Everyone I've talked to has had nothing but amazing things to say about playing in Montreal," Doolittle said on Twitter following Saturday's win. "I hope someday the city gets another MLB team (a full-time one, no halfsies), but in the meantime, I hope we continue to celebrate Expos history so that it doesn't get forgotten."
It was awesome to wear the baby blues today to celebrate the roots of our franchise and the rich history of baseball in Montreal. Zuk paying homage to The Kid with a big homer and Max dealing like El Presidente! #AllezLesExpos pic.twitter.com/gJJLKQnD3n
— Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) July 7, 2019
A recent proposal put forth by Tampa Bay Rays ownership has suggested the Florida franchise play the first half of its season in St. Petersburg and the second half in Montreal. The plan, which would require new stadiums in both locations and has drawn a lot of criticism, wouldn't take effect until the 2028 season, once the current lease on Tropicana Field expires.
The 2019 season marks the 50th anniversary of the Expos' inaugural campaign. The franchise stayed in Montreal through 2004 before unceremoniously relocating to Washington and becoming the Nationals.
There's been a campaign for baseball to return to Montreal in recent years, with the Toronto Blue Jays hosting annual exhibition games at Olympic Stadium - the former home of the Expos - since 2014.