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Veteran pitcher Zack Greinke will make an opening day start for the Kansas City Royals, 12 years after his previous one.
Manager Mike Matheny made the announcement after a Spring Training loss to the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals are 75/1 to win the 2022 World Series, a feat they haven't achieved since 2015, and Greinke signed to a one-year deal at the beginning of Spring Training - taking him back to the organisation which drafted him back in 2002 as an 18-year-old.
Greinke will kick off the new season on 7th April against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium.
At 38 years, 168 days old, Greinke will be the oldest Opening Day starting pitcher in Royals' history.
The right-hander signed a one-year $13million deal, with the Royals back office having been eyeing a Greinke return for years and, with him being a free agent this season, the timing was right.
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The Royals originally traded Greinke before the 2011 season, to the Milwaukee Brewers, he then underyook moves to the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Houston Astros.
In his career, Greinke is 219-132 with a 3.41 ERA and 2,809 strikeouts.
He is still looking for his first World Series championship, however he is a Cy Young Award winner and also a six-time All-Star, plus a six-time Gold Glove Award winner.
Speaking to the official Royals website, team manager Matheny said: "This decision was made the day we met before he even signed here.
"We were very clear with him the expectations of what he was going to do for this club. I told him as soon as we give him the green light, we'll rewrite what it looks like for Opening Day, because he's the guy we want out there."
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