Orix Buffaloes ace Chihiro Kaneko has been ruled out as the Pacific League club's Opening Day starter, manager Hiroshi Moriwaki said Friday.

"He won't pitch on March 27," Moriwaki said of the right-hander who swept the postseason awards last year but had offseason surgery to clean out some loose tissue in his elbow.

Kaneko, who had been designated as the Buffaloes' starter at Seibu Prince Dome on Opening Day, has yet to pitch in a game this spring.

The top candidate to make that start for last year's PL runner-up is right-hander Brandon Dickson, who allowed three hits while pitching into the seventh inning in Friday's 5-0 exhibition win over the Hanshin Tigers.