Blue Jays pay tribute to Negro Leagues

This Sunday, Major League Baseball celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the Negro Leagues.

Originally scheduled for June 27, these festivities will include all managers, coaches, players and umpires wearing a Negro Leagues 100th anniversary logo patch on their uniforms during Sunday's games, along with special base jewels and lineup cards.

Around baseball, clubs are working to raise awareness and educate fans on the incredible Negro Leagues players who were not offered the same opportunities as white players in their era, and many of these projects have been done in cooperation with or in support of the great Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

? The Negro Leagues: Complete coverage

On Sunday, the Blue Jays shared a conversation with Tim Raines, the Hall of Famer beloved by Canadian baseball fans for his 13 years with the Montreal Expos. Raines shared memories of his own favorite Negro Leagues players.

"Cool Papa Bell was that player who was very, very fast. There's a joke they tell about Cool Papa Bell, they say he could turn the lights off and be in bed before the lights go out," Raines said. "When I started playing at the Major League level, a lot of the Black players and even some of the white players used to joke with me about being that type of player. They actually used to call me Cool Papa Bell, and I enjoyed that, that the players recognized me as one of those guys."

The Blue Jays are calling Buffalo home for the 2020 season, a city that's home to Negro Leagues history of its own. Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen recently shared some of those stories, including a young player nicknamed "Pork Chops" who ended up having quite the career.

Extras
? The Blue Jays get back to the top of their rotation on Monday in Baltimore with Hyun Jin Ryu. Trent Thornton's eventual return will force the ballclub to decide between a six-man rotation or moving one arm to the bullpen, but that return is not imminent just yet.

? Toronto's updated taxi squad, according to Montoyo, currently includes infielder Santiago Espinal, right-hander Sam Gaviglio, right-hander Julian Merryweather, right-hander Sean Reid-Foley and catcher Caleb Joseph.