Baseball circumstance forced Felix Hernandez to have to work harder than he may ever have to earn an opening day start.
But Sunday, Mariners manager Scott Servais said Hernandez ultimately showed the team everything it needed to see as he bounced back from being hit by a line drive in the arm almost a month ago and will be the team’s starting pitcher on opening day Thursday against the Cleveland Indians.
The start will be the 11th of Hernandez’ career and the 10th in a row, a streak that puts him in some rarefied air.