Ricky Nolasco to Start Opening Day for Angels

Veteran hurler Ricky Nolasco has pitched in close to 300 games in the major leagues. This spring he has pitched very well and because of that he has earned a good spot in the rotation of the Los Angeles Angels.

Mike Scioscia the manager of the Angels named the veteran pitcher as the starter on opening day for the Angels after a win of 3-2 over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

Scioscia said that there were others he could have chosen, but seeing the way he finished the season last year and the way he is pitching this spring, Ricky can handle the pressure of opening day and give the team a good chance to win.

The Angels do not have an ace, but the 11-year veteran has made three starts on opening day during his career.

He has a career record of 108-103 with an ERA of 4.52 and last season coming over in a deal at the trade deadline he finished 4-6 with an ERA of 3.21 and was 1-1 with an ERA of 3.52 in four starts.

Nolasco said the start means a great deal to him but it is just one of the 34 he will have and he will remain focused mentally leading up to the first pitch.

Against the Dodgers on Thursday, the Angels looked unfocused at the plate in the early going. Ross Stripling, Luis Avilan and Kenta Maeda combined to hold Angels’ hitters, hitless through the first six innings.

However, they came alive with three hits and one walk to produce three runs during the seventh.

The Dodgers started the scoring with a third inning unearned run after an error at third followed by a double.

The Angels will start the season with a pitching rotation of Nolasco, Matt Shoemaker a right-hander, Garrett Richards a right-hander, Jesse Chavez a right-hander and one pitcher that has not yet been announced.

Tyler Skaggs a left-hander, who missed all of 2015 following surgery on his elbow and much of the 2016 season with an injured shoulder, pitched five innings against the Giants in a Triple-A game.

He allowed eight hits and five runs, struck out 4 and walked 2. It is expected that he will be the fourth starter for the Angels.

Last season the Angels finished 74-88 and were 21 games behind the first place Texas Rangers in the American League West.