Tommy Milone will start Opening Day for Orioles

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde announced that Tommy Milone will replace John Means as the teams’ starter for their opener at Boston’s Fenway Park on Friday.

Means is suffering from arm fatigue.

Hyde said that Milone, who has a 9.33 ERA in four career starts at Fenway would chosen over another veteran left-hander, Wade LeBlanc, who has a 10.57 ERA in two starts in Boston because he was pitching on just one extra day of rest.

LeBlanc threw a simulated game earlier Tuesday at Oriole Park.

“I just didn’t want to take the chance of bringing somebody back on short rest,” Hyde said in a video conference call.

Milone, who like LeBlanc, was on a minor league contract until being added to the 40-man roster on Saturday, will pitch on five days’ rest.

“It was a great feeling to be able to tell him,” Hyde said. “His reaction was priceless. He was just really excited.”

In nine major league seasons, the 35-year-old Milone, who has pitched for six other major league teams, has a career record of 50-47.