For the first time in his Major League career Gerrit Cole will start on Opening Day. On Saturday afternoon Pirate manager Clint Hurdle announced that the right-handed starter would get the ball on Opening Day. The Pirates will open the season against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 3rd.
Had it not been for an injury in Spring Training Gerrit Cole may have been the Pirates’ Opening Day starter last season. However, that honor was bestowed upon Francisco Liriano for a third consecutive season. While this will be Cole’s first career Opening Day start, it will almost assuredly not be his last.