Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish will make the first Opening Day start of his six-year major league career when his team hosts the American League champion Cleveland Indians on April 3.

"We feel we have one of the best pitchers in baseball leading off our rotation. He is poised to have a great year," Texas skipper Jeff Banister was quoted as saying on MLB.com on Saturday. "We feel he is in a great place."

Darvish, who missed the entire 2015 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery that March, returned to action last May and went 7-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts.