Sanchez happy to be back for Toronto Blue Jays home opener

Toronto Blue Jays righthander Aaron Sanchez is happy to be home.

While the 24-year-old grew up in Barstow, Calif., almost halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, he feels the love in Toronto. Especially around the home opener.

The Jays (1-5) welcome Milwaukee (2-5) to the Rogers Centre on Tuesday to kick off the start of a nine-game homestand - Baltimore and Boston follow the Brewers - as baseball returns. Left-hander J.A. Happ, who went 20-4 last season with a 3.18 earned-run average, is slated to go against Wily Peralta (7-11 with a 4.86 ERA last year).

For Sanchez, any time the word ‘opening’ comes into play in baseball, it’s special.

“Whether it be on the road or whether it be at home,” he said. “Especially that home one, it’s a lot different from any other one because these are the people that know you the best.

“We’re excited. We like the team we’ve got so it’s about riding the wave for 162 (games) and kind of seeing where it takes us.

“We’ve been to the playoffs with this group the last two years, so we know what to expect, we know what it takes to get there.”

The Jays took care of Baltimore and Texas last season before falling to the Cleveland Indians in five games in the American League Championship Series. In 2015, Toronto dispatched Texas before being ousted by Kansas City in six games in the ALCS.