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TORONTO — Atlanta Braves first-year general manager Alex Anthopoulos was not sure how well his new team would do this season.

“You know what Rashaan Gaulden Jersey , we didn’t know what to expect,” the former Toronto Blue Jays GM said before the opener of a two-game series at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday night.

He has a better idea now and so do the fans of the Blue Jays as they watched the Braves defeat their team 11-4 Tuesday and show why they are in first place in the National League East.

The short interleague set will end Wednesday afternoon with Atlanta starting right-hander Anibal Sanchez (3-0, 1.93 ERA) against Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ (8-3, 3.48).

“We knew there was a lot of talent here,” said Anthopoulos, who was the GM in Toronto from 2009-2015 before working for the Los Angeles Dodgers and then taking the job at Atlanta this past offseason. “There’s a ton of talent here. Those guys (the previous general managers in Atlanta) deserve all the credit.”

Anthopoulos said part of the plan was to see just how far players like of Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis could take this club.

“The plan was just to sit back and let these guys play,” Anthopoulos said. “Maybe add some things, bring some information. We had a game plan in the offseason on what we could be doing from a developmental standpoint, how we could potentially make guys better with information that we might provide to them, to the staff Youth Isaiah Oliver Jersey , to try to get the most out of their abilities.”

So far it has worked well with Atlanta improving its record to 43-29 while Toronto scuffles in the American League East at 33-39.

Sanchez will be making his eighth appearance of the season, and his seventh start, in the series finale. Last season, while with the Tigers, he was 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays. He is 3-4 with a 5.70 ERA in 12 career appearances (10 starts) against the Blue Jays. His last win against them was July 3, 2015, at Detroit, when he allowed four runs, three hits and three walks in 7 1/3 innings in the Tigers’ 8-6 victory.

Happ is 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in eight career games, including seven starts Youth Deadrin Senat Jersey , against Atlanta.

In June, he is 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA in three starts, which is not hurting his trade value as the July 31 deadline approaches. He is considered one of the better candidates among the Blue Jays to be traded, especially since he can be a free agent in the offseason.

Happ did not factor into the decision in his most recent start, June 13 at Tropicana Field, when the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Blue Jays 1-0.

He threw five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out three.

“I do feel good out there for sure,” Happ said. “I feel confident, and that’s always a huge thing. I’ll try to keep it rolling, and we’ll try to bounce back.”

The loss on Tuesday ended Toronto’s seven-game winning streak at home. They are 6-3 in interleague games.

The Braves have won three games in a row and six of their past seven as they move to a season-high 14 games over .500. They are 22-16 on the road.

Before the series opener Youth Ito Smith Jersey , the Blue Jays put right-handed pitcher Sam Gaviglio on paternity leave — his wife gave birth to a daughter Tuesday — and recalled infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from Triple-A Buffalo. Gurriel did not play on Tuesday.

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

NEED A HAND

The Giants are looking for answers at the back of the bullpen after closer Hunter Strickland broke his hand Monday night punching a door in frustration. Strickland blew a save in a 5-4 loss to Miami, then cost himself six to eight weeks with his postgame outburst. Manager Bruce Bochy said Strickland had shown maturity and progress keeping his emotions in check since a fight last year with Nationals star Bryce Harper, leading Bochy to feel ”thoroughly disappointed” by this injury. Sam Dyson and Tony Watson will be called upon for closing duties, with one getting most of the opportunities, though Bochy didn’t reveal which one that would be. The manager doesn’t consider Mark Melancon – signed to a $62 million, four-year deal before last season to work the ninth – ready for the role after a series of injuries.

KING OF THE BRONX

Felix Hernandez (6-6, 5.44 ERA) pitches for Seattle at Yankee Stadium in the middle game of a series between AL playoff contenders. King Felix is 7-2 with a 2.00 ERA over 11 career starts in the Bronx, including 6-1 with a 1.41 ERA in nine outings at the current Yankee Stadium. The 32-year-old righty, a six-time All-Star and the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner, is 10-7 with a 3.04 ERA and four complete games in 21 starts against New York overall. Jonathan Loaisiga (1-0) gets the ball for the Yankees after throwing five scoreless innings to win his major league debut vs. Tampa Bay last Friday.

SUPER KLUBER

Corey Kluber tries to become the major league’s first 11-game winner this season when Cleveland hosts the White Sox. Kluber (10-3 Youth James Daniels Jersey , 2.24) won five straight decisions before losing to Minnesota last time out, giving up two homers and four runs in a 6-3 defeat. Chicago starter Reynaldo Lopez (2-4, 3.35) is looking to solve the reigning AL Central champs after they tagged him for seven runs in 2 2/3 innings on May 30.

PITCHING IN

Anibal Sanchez hopes to give the upstart Braves a little more late-career magic. The 34-year-old Sanchez (3-0, 1.93) has been excellent for Atlanta, most recently throwing seven scoreless innings against San Diego. Sanchez has been a surprise contributor after posting a 6.09 ERA over his final two seasons in Detroit and signing with the Braves on a minor league contract in March. He’ll face Blue Jays lefty J.A. Happ (8-3, 3.48) in Toronto in the afternoon.

ROLLING ROSS

Ross Stripling (6-1, 1.76) tries to win his seventh consecutive start when the Dodgers complete a three-game set against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Stripling joined LA’s rotation amid a bevy of injuries and has been consistently on point, walking just two batters over his past seven starts (43 innings). Chicago will counter with Jon Lester (8-2, 2.28).

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