The Canadian Press
DUNEDIN, Fla.–J.A. Happ will be the Toronto Blue Jays’ opening-day starter this season.
The veteran left-hander will pitch against the N.Y. Yankees next Thursday at Rogers Centre.
He will face a Yankees’ lineup that could see Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez hit 2-3-4.
It will be the first time in his 10-year career that Happ will start opening day.
Right-hander Aaron Sanchez, whose 2017 season was hampered by a finger blister, will start the second game.
Marco Estrada, Marcus Stroman, and newcomer Jaime Garcia round out the rest of the rotation.
Happ, a 20-game winner in 2016, was 10-11 with a 3.53 ERA last season.
Happ pitched his last spring training game Sunday–a 5-2 Jays’ win over the Pittsburgh Pirates–allowing four hits, one run, and striking out five.
Stroman has been limited to just one start this season, two innings against Canada’s junior national team last week, because of right shoulder inflammation.
