Twins give Kenta Maeda the ball for Opening Day in Milwaukee

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Kenta Maeda has been keeping a secret for five days. A secret, but not a surprise.

Rocco Baldelli revealed Sunday that nearly a week ago, he informed last year's AL Cy Young Award runner-up that he will be on the mound for the Twins on Opening Day, April 1 in Milwaukee. It's the sixth such honor for Maeda, but the first since he came to the United States in 2016, and the righthander was beaming at the news.

"I'm so happy that I may be floating a little bit," Maeda said after pitching the first four innings of the Twins' 5-5 tie with the Red Sox. "When I first came over to MLB, being an Opening Day starter was something that I never dreamed of."

But it was difficult to picture anyone else getting the honor this year, after Maeda's dominating performance in 2020 — and the incredible spring he has had this month. With four hitless innings on Sunday, the 32-year-old native of Japan has now pitched nine innings in Grapefruit League games, given up a total of one single and one walk, and struck out 12. Not only has he not surrendered a run, the only runner to reach third base, in his opener on March 4, did so due to an error.

"It's certainly my best spring, and I think it's because I had a great season last year, which gave me more confidence in my pitching," Maeda said through interpreter Daichi Sekizaki. "Just building off of what I had last year is the [reason for] the success of the spring."

The decision means Jose Berrios, who also has yet to allow a run this spring, will pitch the second game against the Brewers, and likely the Twins' home opener April 8 against Seattle. Berrios has started the Twins' past two openers, but for now won't become the fourth Twins pitcher to start three consecutive openers, a feat that only Bert Blyleven (1972-76), Dave Goltz (1977-79) and Brad Radke (1999-2005) have ever achieved.

"It's not the easiest decision when you have so many good options," Baldelli said. "But truly, this year, Kenta put himself in position to start the first game for us, both in the year that he had last year and the way he conducts himself. I don't think there was any denying him that at this point."

It's perhaps appropriate that Maeda, who spent the first four seasons of his major league career with the Dodgers, would start this year's Twins opener, since it's the first one since 1972 in which pitchers will bat. Maeda memorably homered in his MLB debut in 2016, and he "is pretty ready to be able to swing the bat a little bit and have a little fun and contribute to his start on the offensive side of things, too," Baldelli said. "If it was up to Kenta, he would jump right in to Home Run Derby, out there taking care of business five or six days a week with a bat in his hands."

The Twins' first roster moves of the spring have reduced the number of pitchers on their roster by six.

Righthanders Bailey Ober, Dakota Chalmers, Jhoan Duran and Jordan Balazovic were all optioned to the alternate training site — and likely to the Class AAA St. Paul Saints, once the minor league season begins in May — on Sunday.

In addition, righthander Ian Gibaut and lefthander Danny Coulombe, each of whom have major league experience, have been reassigned to minor league camp, the team announced.

The reductions leave the Twins with 26 pitchers, including five non-roster invitees.

Baldelli said he was impressed by rookie Gilberto Celestino's leaping catch of a potential home run on Sunday, but also by the way the outfielder didn't immediately give away the fact that he had snagged the ball as it carried over the fence.

"He sold it. He can do a little acting, too, after his 15-year playing career wraps up," the manager joked. "Celly has very, very good field awareness, especially for a young player. That's a tremendously difficult play. I'm sure we'll see it on TV."