The Opening Day matchup is officially set. The Pirates recently announced that A.J. Burnett would take the hill on April 1st, and now the Cubs have selected right-hander Jeff Samardzija to get the opening nod.

Samardzija, 28, went 9-13 with a 3.81 ERA in 28 starts for Chicago in 2012. The former two-sport athlete at Notre Dame shut down the Bucs in two outings last season. He won both ballgames, posting a 1.06 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Opening Day is rapidly approaching; April 1st is four weeks from tomorrow, and it’ll be here before we know it. Burnett vs. Samardzjia should be a good showdown. If you need Opening Day tickets, there’s a good selection HERE.

Go Bucs