Rangers' Edinson Volquez: Likely to start second game

Manager Chris Woodward tentatively announced a rotation for the season-opening series against the Cubs that has Volquez pitching the second game of the season, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. If the schedule holds, Volquez would pitch Saturday, March 30.

Woodward does not want to have the three projected starters that are coming back from Tommy John elbow surgery to pitch consecutively, so he plans to move Volquez behind Mike Minor and ahead of Lance Lynn. The reason behind the move is that the manager does not want to put stress on a bullpen that may be needed to pitch a lot if the Tommy John survivors can't get deep into games.