Surprising Opening Day Starter for Houston Astros and Yankees Announced

The Houston Astros and the New York Yankees have announced their Opening Day starters.

Kade Kistner | Mar 16, 2024

Surprising Opening Day Starter for Houston Astros and Yankees Announced /

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Houston Astros

MLB Opening Day is just around the corner.

The Houston Astros will open their 2024 MLB season against the New York Yankees, a rivalry some say has grown to be more intense and fierce than the Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

Sparks will fly early.

It was announced on Thursday that the Astros will turn to Framber Valdez to open the season for them. A move that is not surprising given it will be his third-consecutive year to do so and the state of the rotation... is not great.

In fact, barring an addition like two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the roster, Houston figures to open their season with Valdez, Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, J.P. France and Ronel Blanco.

Regardless, the Astros are heavily pursuing Snell, which has become more of a necessity than a luxury.

On the other side of the ball is the Yankees.

They announced that Nector Cortes will be their Opening Day starter.

That has come as a surprise as Gerrit Cole is slated to miss a minimum of one to months to start the season with an elbow injury. Luckily for New York, he has seemingly avoided Tommy John surgery.

That means Carlos Rodon, who is seen as the number two in the rotation, or new signing Marcus Stroman, would be the first in line for the honor.

Instead, the Yankees have opted to start their season, one full of World Series hopes, with a starter who posted a 4.97 ERA in 63.1 innings pitched during the 2023 MLB season.

The season begins for both of these rivals on March 28 at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is slated for 3:10 p.m. CDT.

Published Mar 16, 2024

KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.