SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Four years later, Patrick Corbin will finally get to make that Opening Day start.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo named the left-hander as the starter for Thursday's opener against the Rockies at Chase Field.
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"A very well-deserved honor," Lovullo said. "One that I know was supposed to take place several years ago."
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Corbin was named to start the opener in 2014 against the Dodgers in Sydney, Australia, but in his final tuneup of the spring against the Indians at Goodyear Ballpark he suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.
Lovullo gave Corbin the news a few days ago, and at the time Corbin had one final spring start to make -- Friday night against the Indians at Goodyear Ballpark.
Corbin said his history at the ballpark did cross his mind before his start, but said it was harder on his fiancee, Jen, who was more nervous about it than he was.
"It was like the same situation," Corbin said. "Just glad this time I'm ready to go, healthy, and I'll be able to go out there and try to get us off to a good start."
Zack Greinke would have been the Opening Day starter, but a groin injury a couple of weeks ago set him back, which opened the door for Corbin.
Robbie Ray will start the second game of the season, with Greinke likely going third.
Taijuan Walker and Zack Godley will fill out the rotation, but Lovullo did not say in what order the pair would pitch.
Corbin, who was 14-13 with a 4.03 ERA in 33 games (32 starts) last year, said the idea of starting on Opening Day with a sold-out crowd is appealing.
"There's a lot of excitement in that," Corbin said. "Other than that, we've got to go out there and stay calm and focus on what you're doing, and I feel I'm capable of doing that. It's always just the excitement in the stadium there, just being able to take the field for the first time that season and go out there and get things going. It's a long year -- you have 30-something starts after this -- so just take it one start at a time and be ready to go."