Valdes Will Face Angels in Opener

Ismael Valdes was picked Friday to start for the Texas Rangers in the major league season opener against the Angels at Edison Field on March 30.

Chan Ho Park, who has a tender left knee, was moved back to No. 2 in the rotation and will pitch the second game on April 1, Ranger Manager Buck Showalter said.

Valdes was 6-9 with a 3.93 earned-run average for the Rangers last season before he was traded to Seattle in August.

He was 2-3 in eight starts for the Mariners and re-signed with the Rangers as a free agent during the off-season.

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Closer Antonio Alfonseca of the Chicago Cubs will sit out the first month of the season after injuring his right hamstring.

Alfonseca has a moderate to severe strain of his right hamstring, an injury sustained Tuesday when he slipped and fell while fielding a ground ball hit by Seattle’s Randy Winn.

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Right-hander Jeff D’Amico, who has been on the disabled list five times in the last six seasons and has undergone two elbow and two shoulder operations, will be the Pittsburgh Pirates’ fifth starter.