A's Anderson to pitch opening day

Oakland A's pitcher Brett Anderson was tabbed by manager Bob Melvin to start opening day on Thursday.

"Let's go ahead and say Brett Anderson is our Opening Day starter," Melvin told reporters.

Anderson, 25, is in his fifth season with the AL West champions. He'll face the visiting Seattle Mariners at the Oakland Coliseum on April 1.

The lefty returned from Tommy John surgery in August, and posted an 0.69 ERA in his first four starts. After an oblique strain cost him two starts, he pitched Game 3 of the American League Division Series, and allowed two hits in six scoreless innings in Oakland's 2-0 win over the Tigers, keeping the A's alive.

"Based on the guys that we have and how successfully he came back for us last year, we really feel like he's the man to lead the staff," Melvin said. "He worked hard to get back and put himself in a position to compete with us at a time of the season where there's no easing into things. You got to be good right away, and he was. Then he gets hurt and we think he's done, and he works just as hard to get back and pitch in a playoff game."