Notes | The left-hander, claimed off waivers from the Tigers, is competing for the No. 5 starter’s job as well as a spot in the Tampa Bay bullpen.
Tyler Alexander, pictured throwing against the Pirates earlier this month, made a good case for a spot on the Rays’ roster with a strong five-inning outing in a 5-2 loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday. [ GERALD HERBERT | AP ]
It didn’t have the drama of the NCAA tournament bracket release of two days earlier, but MLB held its own unveiling Tuesday by announcing the starting pitching matchups for all season openers.
At least half the teams already had announced their Opening Day starters.
“To be able to be told by your skipper that you’re going to be the guy that’s starting the first game of the season, it’s an honor,” Colorado pitcher Kyle Freeland said in a video released by the team announcing him as its Opening Day starter. “I definitely don’t take it lightly. It’s great to know and have that feeling that you’ve accomplished something that only a handful of guys get to do on a consistent basis.”
