With all 30 teams taking the field this week for Opening Day across the country, a couple of former Blue Devils have locked down their spots on major league rosters.
Marcus Stroman—an All-American hurler during his time at Duke—started the season off on the right foot, earning a win for the Toronto Blue Jays in his first career Opening Day start. The 24-year-old right-hander threw only 27 innings in 2015 as he missed most of the year with a torn ACL in his left knee, but returned near the end of the regular season and made three starts in the Blue Jays' postseason run to the ALCS.
Despite his relative inexperience, Stroman was tabbed with the Opening Day nod by manager John Gibbons and rewarded his skipper with eight innings of three-run ball in a 5-3 win against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Medford, N.Y., native figures to anchor the Blue Jays' rotation—alongside veterans R.A. Dickey, J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez—in the up-for-grabs AL East as they try for back-to-back division titles and playoff appearances.
Former Blue Devil Chris Capuano used a strong spring training to earn a spot as a member of the Milwaulkee Brewers' bullpen, his second career stint with the team. The 11-year veteran has now pitched for six different clubs in his major league career and made his only career All-Star appearances with the Brewers in 2006.
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