Twins name Maeda Opening Day starter

Kenta Maeda will start on Opening Day, the Minnesota Twins announced on Sunday.

The Twins’ open the regular season Thursday, April 1 against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

It’s the first Opening Day nod of Maeda’s Major League Baseball career.

Maeda finished runner-up for the Cy Young award after a dominant first season with the Twins, finishing with a career-best 2.70 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings.

The 32-year-old paced the Minnesota rotation in ERA, innings, wins and strikeouts, and his 0.75 WHIP was the second lowest in MLB history.