Hamels to start Opening Day for Rangers

The Texas Rangers announced Friday that Cole Hamels will get the ball for their March 29 regular-season opener against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park, where the veteran left-hander will make his second Opening Day start in the last three seasons.

"Cole is a front-line pitcher," manager Jeff Banister told Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "He's the ace of our staff. He has the experience. He's the guy that should be the pitcher that pitches at the front of our rotation."

Hamels will be opposed March 29 by former American League MVP and Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander, Astros manager A.J. Hinch confirmed earlier this month.

For Hamels, who spent a decade with the Philadelphia Phillies before getting traded to Texas in 2015, it'll be his fourth career Opening Day start.

The four-time All-Star was passed over for the Opening Day assignment last year in favor of Yu Darvish and stumbled through a disappointing season, on the whole, managing career-worsts in WAR (1.5), ERA (4.20), and strikeouts rate (17.1 percent), while making just 24 starts due to an oblique strain that sidelined him for roughly two months.