Mark Shapiro went to the very last row of the Rogers Centre during Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs and was seen high fiving fans on the way
The Toronto Blue Jays kicked off their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs with a win Tuesday night, and president and CEO Mark Shapiro caught one of the biggest moments of the match in an unlikely seat.
Video posted by the Gate 14 Podcast, which describes itself as the “most electric” Jays podcast on the internet, shows the baseball executive entering the 500 level at Rogers Centre before he makes his way up to the very last row to join hosts Johnny Giunta and Avery Chenier.
Receiving high-fives and fist bumps along the way, as soon as Shapiro gets to his seat, third baseman Ernie Clement hits a three-run homerun to put the Jays up 4-1 over the Cubs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Jays president can then be seen celebrating the moment amongst fans in the nosebleeds. Toronto would go on to top the Cubs 5-1 behind a homerun from outfielder Daulton Varsho in the bottom of the eighth inning.
It’s not Shapiro’s first time collaborating with the Gate 14 Podcast. He previously appeared in person on an episode with the two hosts earlier this year in April.
Shapiro joined the Jays’ front office in 2015 and signed a five-year extension in January 2021. The 58-year-old from Cambridge, Mass., is in the final year of his contract.
Shapiro hosted a media availability at Rogers Centre ahead of the Tuesday night matchup. While he declined to comment on contract extension talks, he did say he wants to remain with the club and that team ownership has been “reciprocal in that desire.”
Heading into Wednesday night’s game, the Jays lead the American League with a 70-50 record, which is the second-best record in baseball behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
With files from The Canadian Press