News » Masahiro Tanaka will be the New York Yankees‘ opening day sta

SARASOTA Mark Grace Jersey , Fla. (AP) — rter March 28 against Baltimore, taking the spot left open by Luis Severino’s shoulder trouble.Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced the decision before Saturday night’s spring training game with the Orioles.Tanaka is replacing Severino, who will not make the start at Yankee Stadium because of right shoulder inflammation. Severino was scratched from his first planned start of spring training on Tuesday after feeling discomfort after throwing his first slider in a pregame bullpen session.“Masa has clearly shown through his life really that he’s really good in the big spot,” Boone said.Yankees newcomer James Paxton will start the second game and J.A. Happ will pitch the third game against the Orioles.Tanaka discussed what it means to start the opener after his outing Friday night against the Detroit Tigers.“Obviously, if you’re given the opportunity to pitch on that day, you want to go out and do your best,” Tanaka said through a translator. “If you look back, I don’t think I’ve necessarily been good on opening days. I’ve gotten some experience. We’ve gone through playoffs. So, if that situation were to arise, I can go out there and give a good performance.”Tanaka has made three previous opening day starts (2015-17) for the Yankees. New York lost all three games http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , with Tanaka charged with the loss in two.Severino had his first opening day assignment last year.Tanaka was 12-6 with 3.75 ERA in 27 starts last season.CC COMING ALONGLHP CC Sabathia threw 31 pitches in his fourth bullpen session and said afterwards that his first batting practice outing is likely next. The 38-year-old lefty had a stent inserted in December after a blockage was found in an artery from his heart and has had chronic right knee problems that required several operations. Sabathia, retiring after the season, is expected to miss his first two or three regular season starts. Minnesota Twins (39-18, first in the AL Central) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (35-21, second in the AL East)St. Petersburg, Florida; Sunday, 1 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: Jake Odorizzi (7-2, 2.16 ERA, .99 WHIP, 61 strikeouts) Rays: Ryan Yarbrough (4-1 Kyle Schwarber Jersey , 5.53 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 19 strikeouts)Article continues below ...BOTTOM LINE: Tampa Bay and Minnesota will meet at Tropicana Field on Sunday.The Rays are 17-13 in home games. Tampa Bay ranks sixth in the majors in hitting with a .259 batting average, Austin Meadows leads the team with an average of .355.The Twins are 20-9 on the road. The Twins won the last meeting 6-2. Kyle Gibson earned his sixth victory and Marwin Gonzalez went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBIs for Minnesota. Yonny Chirinos took his second loss for Tampa Bay.TOP PERFORMERS: Meadows leads the Rays with 12 home runs and is slugging .664. Tommy Pham is 14-for-31 with four doubles, two home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.Eddie Rosario leads the Twins with 17 home runs home runs and is slugging .548. Max Kepler is 13-for-38 with six doubles, three home runs and 13 RBIs over the last 10 games for Minnesota.LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 7-3, .290 batting average, 2.97 ERA, outscored opponents by 23 runsTwins: 8-2 Kerry Wood Jersey , .295 batting average, 3.84 ERA, outscored opponents by 31 runsRays Injuries: Tyler Glasnow: 60-day IL (forearm), Jose De Leon: 60-day IL (elbow), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Tommy Pham: day-to-day (leg), Avisail Garcia: day-to-day (hamstring), Joey Wendle: 10-day IL (wrist), Matt Duffy: 60-day IL (back), Yandy Diaz: 10-day IL (hand) http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , Michael Perez: 10-day IL (oblique), Anthony Bemboom: 10-day IL (knee).Twins Injuries: Michael Pineda: 10-day IL (knee), Adalberto Mejia: 10-day IL (calf), Nelson Cruz: 10-day IL (wrist), Mitch Garver: 10-day IL (ankle).