Blue Jays, Red Sox kick off 2012 season in Toronto

If 2011 is any indication, Blue Jays fans are in for a lot of scoring early in the team’s first homestand of next season.

Toronto will begin its 36th major league campaign on April 5 at Cleveland and return to the Rogers Centre for the opener of a three-game series against Boston.

The Red Sox have outscored the Blue Jays 133-72 in 17 games this season – including an 18-6 dismantling on Tuesday - for an average of 7.8 runs per game versus 4.2 against.

After Boston leaves town next April, Toronto will host fellow American League East clubs Baltimore and Tampa Bay for three games apiece.

The Blue Jays also stated in a news release Wednesday that season tickets are on sale for 2012 while prices for individual games won’t change for next season.

Interleague play will see three National League East squads – the New York Mets (May 18-20, Washington Nationals (June 11-13) and Philadelphia Phillies (June 15-17) – play in Toronto.

The Mets, who feature outfielder Jason Bay of Trail, B.C., haven’t played at the Rogers Centre since 2006 while the Nationals – led by pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg – will visit for the first time since 2007.

Toronto will play nine interleague games, with three each against Atlanta (June 8-10), Milwaukee (June 18-20) and the Miami Marlins (June 22-24). The Florida franchise will be renamed on Nov. 11 as part of its move to a $515 million US, retractable-roof ballpark on the site that used to be the Orange Bowl.