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Odorizzi declared Opening Day starter for Twins

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Twins solidified their projected four-man pitching rotation to start the 2018 season Thursday, with new right-hander Jake Odorizzi officially scheduled to start the March 29 opener in Baltimore.

On a busy day of roster machinations and players packing and scattering, Kyle Gibson was slotted in the No. 2 role and is scheduled to start Minnesota’s April 5 home opener against Seattle. He is followed by Jose Berrios and another high-profile acquisition, Lance Lynn, revealed manager Paul Molitor.

The Opening Day nod would be a first for Odorizzi, whom the Twins acquired Feb. 17 in a trade with Tampa Bay.

“It’s a big deal to a lot of people, and it’s an opportunity for some people to put it on their résumé,” Molitor said. “I’ve never really gotten too caught up in that, but that’s what most managers say. It’s probably an honor for most people. I get all that.”

So does Odorizzi, who pondered the opportunity last week during an interview.

“You always want to set the tone in Game 1 and put one in the win column,” he said. “If the team believes in you enough to give you that Opening Day start, I think that’s just a big vote of confidence of how they view you and what type of player they think you are.”

Ervin Santana, Minnesota’s Opening Day starter the past two years, is not expected back until late April at the earliest as he recovers from Feb. 6 surgery on his right middle finger.

Barring weather cancellations, the Twins will not need a fifth starter to take the ball on normal rest until April 11, during an extended 12-game homestand at Target Field. That means veteran right-hander Phil Hughes will start the season out of the bullpen.

Hughes allowed one run and four hits in 87 pitches over 4M  innings against the New York Yankees on Thursday afternoon at Hammond Stadium in his final Grapefruit League start. He struck out four and lowered his earned-run average to 6.05 after getting tagged for nine runs by Pittsburgh in his previous outing.

“I’ve tried not to get too caught up in it,” Hughes said before the rotation was announced. “You can play GM all you want, but I’m not going to do that. I just have to worry about what I can do on the mound. Any other thought I have is just going to detract from my ability to perform.”

Hughes, 31, is in the fourth season of a five-year contract extension he signed following the 2014 season, when he finished with 16 wins, a 3.52 ERA and walked only 16 batters. He is scheduled to earn $13.2 million for each of the next two years after having surgery in July to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, an operation which involved removing a rib to relieve pressure on his right shoulder.

Molitor said he initially plans to use Hughes as a long reliever before the Twins need to designate a fifth starter.

“The only worry is if you don’t get used out of the pen, how ready are you to take the ball as a starter nine or 10 days later?” said Hughes, who is scheduled to start against minor leaguers Tuesday in Fort Myers before joining the Twins on their first road trip.

“I’m sure these are all thoughts everyone is processing. I’m just thankful I don’t make those decisions.”

Berrios also is slated to pitch Tuesday against the Nationals in Minnesota’s final exhibition game at Washington. He is being groomed to start the first of two games in his native Puerto Rico for the Twins’ April 17-18 series against Cleveland.

Lynn will start Wednesday against minor leaguers in Fort Myers before debuting April 2 at Pittsburgh.

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