SARASOTA, Fla. -- Dylan Bundy was named the Orioles' Opening Day starter on Thursday, heading a rotation that Baltimore has added three key pieces to this spring. Bundy will get the ball vs. the Twins at Camden Yards on March 29, hoping to set the tone for the O's in 2018.
"I found out this morning," said Bundy, who was called into manager Buck Showalter's office along with the rest of the starters. "Obviously I'm honored and humbled by it. Very excited. Going to have to control the emotions a little bit and just pitch my game."
Bundy emerged as the Orioles' ace last year, his first full season in the rotation, as he went 13-9 with a 4.24 ERA in 28 games, though that doesn't tell the full story of his year. The righty got off to a hot start, including a 1.65 ERA in five April starts and a 3.92 ERA in six games in May, and he provided a lift for a rotation that was among the worst in the Majors.
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Given that, and the way Bundy's spring lined up for the first game, it seemed like the obvious move. But Bundy said Thursday he wasn't expecting the news.
"I wasn't really expecting it or thinking it. Really," said Bundy, who will be making his first Opening Day start. "I was trying to get through Spring Training and work on the stuff I need to work on, and let things play out however they may be. So [I] wasn't expecting it, but definitely humbled by it."
Bundy is a career 23-15 with a 4.13 ERA in 66 games (42 starts) for the Orioles. He'll get his final spring tune-up on Friday against the Rays. Bundy wouldn't divulge the rest of the team's rotation order, though the group is expected to include Kevin Gausman, along with spring signees Andrew Cashner and Chris Tillman. The newest addition, Alex Cobb, will start the season in the Minors to get stretched out.
"I feel great about it," Bundy said of the Cobb addition. "I think we all do. I think you can tell in the clubhouse yesterday and today how excited everyone is to get the season started and get underway here."