The A’s will go with their understudy, Rich Hill, instead of scheduled opening day starter Sonny Gray Monday night against the Chicago White Sox after Gray came down with food poisoning.
Gray, who has started the last two openers for the A’s, has been through a similar issue in the past, missing about a week midseason 2015 after coming down with salmonella poisoning.
Hill, 36, has never started an opener but becomes the A’s 10th different opening day starter in the last 11 seasons. He will be the fourth-oldest pitcher to start an opener for the A’s behind Tom Candiotti in 1998, Dave Stewart in 1995 and Bob Welch in 1993.