Sanchez excited for home-field advantage
Toronto Blue Jays righthander Aaron Sanchez is happy to be home.
While the 24-year-old grew up in Barstow, Calif., 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 begin a nine-game homestand. Left-hander J.A. Happ, who went 20-4 last season with a 3.18 earnedrun 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.”
It’s been a slow start on the road this year.
Toronto has been held to two runs or less in four of its six starts, averaging 3.3 runs a game in what is admittedly a very small sample size. It averaged 4.8 runs a year in 2016.
The Jays have hit .201 over the first six outings. Only the Mets (with a 3-3 record and hitting .200 before play Monday), and the Seattle Mariners (1-6, .178) had a worse average.
Francisco Liriano failing to get out of the first inning Friday in Tampa did not help the Toronto cause — or its bullpen.
The Jays have also been without Roberto Osuna (neck spasms) but the closer is expected back for the home opener. Third baseman Josh Donaldson, who left Sunday’s game in Tampa with calf tightness, is a question mark.
Marcus Stroman closes out the two-game series against the Brewers on Wednesday. Liriano will face the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday with Sanchez scheduled to throw Friday.
Sanchez led the AL in ERA last season at 3.00, winning 15 games and losing two.
His lone start this season was a no-decision in Tampa when he gave up one run on four hits over seven innings in a pitching duel with the Rays’ Chris Archer.
While Toronto fans may be more caught up with the Maple Leafs and Raptors with playoffs pending, Sanchez feels a tight bond with Jays supporters.
“Like they say, if you build it they’ll come and we ... felt that extra kick from fans and that extra life that kind of put us over the top the last few years.”