Giants' Johnny Cueto to start Opening Day vs. Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw

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With Madison Bumgarner now elsewhere, the Giants had a couple of choices when it came to their Opening Day starter. Gabe Kapler went with someone who has done it quite a bit before. 

Johnny Cueto will start the opener for the fifth time in his career and the first time with the Giants, Kapler told reporters on Wednesday. Jeff Samardzija will pitch the second game. 

There is some question about just what Opening Day will look like due to the spread of coronavirus, but if the Giants and Dodgers line up at Dodger Stadium on March 26, it will be a marquee matchup. The Dodgers previously had named Clayton Kershaw their Opening Day starter. 

[RELATED: Giants won't play exhibition game in SF due to coronavirus]

Cueto has started the opener four previous times, and he has been dominant. He was the first starter from the Reds from 2012-15 and allowed two runs in 28 innings over those four starts. 
This selection might be the most meaningful of the bunch. Cueto missed more than a year as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, but he returned last September for four starts that set him up for the 2020 season, his fifth in San Francisco. 

The Giants have yet to name a fifth starter and could skip that slot early in the year because of off days in the schedule. Left-hander Drew Smyly and right-hander Kevin Gausman will fill out the rotation. 

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