Latino Pitchers to Open MLB Opening Day

Mexico’s Julio Urías (Los Angeles Dodgers); Dominicans Sandy Alcántara (Miami Marlins), Framber Váldez (Houston Astros) and Luis Castillo (Seattle Mariners), and Venezuelans Eduardo Rodríguez (Detroit Tigers), Pablo López (Minnesota Twins) and Germán Márquez (Colorado Rockies), are the Latino pitchers who will have the honor of starting the first game of the year for their teams.

Another foreigner, Japan’s Shohei Ohtani, will start for the Los Angeles Angels in a game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland’s Coliseum Stadium. It will be the second consecutive start for Ohtani, who just won the Most Valuable Player award at the recently concluded World Baseball Classic, which Japan won.

For the first time in his career, the left-handed Urias gets the ball for the Dodgers for Game 1 of the season. The Culiacán native will face Zack Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Fernando Valenzuela (in 1988) was the last Mexican to start for the Dodgers, while Marco Estrada (Toronto Blue Jays in 2017) was the last Mexican overall.

Alcantara, last season’s National League Cy Young Award winner, will face the legendary Max Scherzer and the New York Mets at Miami’s Loan Depot Park at 4:10 pm ET. For the fourth consecutive season, Alcantara will start for Miami.
Valdez, who was left as the Astros’ No. 1 pitcher following the departure of the celebrated Justin Verlander to the Mets, will start for the second time on Opening Day. The left-hander will welcome Dylan Cease and the Chicago White Sox to Minute Maid Park.

Castillo, who signed a $108 million extension with the Mariners after arriving via trade from the Cincinnati Reds, will have his third Opening Day assignment and first with Seattle. His opponent will be Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Rangers.

Alcantara, last season’s National League Cy Young Award winner, will face the legendary Max Scherzer and the New York Mets at Miami’s Loan Depot Park at 4:10 p.m. ET. For the fourth consecutive season, Alcantara will start for Miami.
Valdez, who was left as the Astros’ No. 1 pitcher following the departure of the celebrated Justin Verlander to the Mets, will get his second Opening Day start. The left-hander will welcome Dylan Cease and the Chicago White Sox to Minute Maid Park.

Castillo, who signed a $108 million extension with the Mariners after arriving via trade from the Cincinnati Reds, will have his third Opening Day assignment and first with Seattle. His opponent will be Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Rangers.

As for Rodriguez, he will be in the box on Opening Day in Detroit for the second consecutive year, this time against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Left-hander Shane McClanahan will start for the home side.

Lopez, who came to Minnesota from Miami, will make his first career start for the Twins, facing veteran right-hander Zack Greinke at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Marquez will be the Rockies’ first starter for the third time, facing the powerful San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

The full 15-game schedule will include nine matchups between division rivals and three interleague games.