Joe Ryan will be Twins' Opening Day starter

FORT MYERS, FLA. — Joe Ryan was surprised by his meeting with the manager on Wednesday. Rocco Baldelli was, too, at least by the ending.

"We hugged," Baldelli said.

That's because Ryan was so ecstatic about the news that Baldelli shocked him with: He and the coaching staff have selected the rookie righthander, who has five games of major-league experience, to take the mound against the Mariners on Opening Day at Target Field next Thursday.

Ryan will be the second Twins rookie ever to start a season opener, joining Tom Hall, who got a no-decision after pitching 5⅔ innings of a 4-3 loss to the Royals on Opening Day 1969. Hall had pitched only 29⅔ big-league innings at the time — or three more than Ryan has so far.

But Baldelli said the choice wasn't random and it wasn't because of how each starter's work schedule falls on the calendar. It's an honor that he wanted to bestow on the rookie because of the impression he made last September and again this spring.

"He just goes out there and tries to make good pitch after good pitch, simplified things in all the right ways," Baldelli said of Ryan, who went 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA after being obtained in a trade with Tampa Bay last July for Nelson Cruz. "It's what allows him to go out there and have success, and I think he's ready for this."

The choice was even more surprising, given how many Opening Day starts the newly acquired veterans on the Twins' staff have made. Chris Archer was on the mound in four Rays openers, Sonny Gray three times for the A's (two) and Reds (one), and Dylan Bundy twice, once for the Orioles and last April for the Angels.

"Sonny Gray has many, many accomplishments — of course he was a consideration and part of this discussion," Baldelli said. "But the way things have played out, who was set up to do this and who was throwing the ball really well, who has proven himself to us in a lot of ways, the answer to that this year, for us, was Joe."

Baldelli said he hadn't told the other pitchers his decision, but "our pitching staff is a unit. I think everyone's going to be very happy for Joe."

Gilberto Celestino was optioned to Class AAA St. Paul, but Baldelli said the news didn't seem to dampen Celestino's good mood.

"Honestly, nothing was going to take the smile off of his face," Baldelli said. "Not even that news."

That's because the young outfielder flew back to his home in the Dominican Republic earlier this week and on Tuesday, married his longtime girlfriend Lea in front of about 50 friends and family members.

"We were thinking about a future together," Celestino said, "and we decided to do it now."

Celestino said he didn't want to spend another summer away from his new wife, and them being married will speed up the immigration process.

The Twins also reassigned utility infielder Tim Beckham, a former overall No. 1 draft pick in 2008, to minor league camp.

Northfield native Jake Petricka has signed a minor league contract with the Twins, the team announced.

Petricka — a Faribault High School graduate who has pitched in parts of eight seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the White Sox — gives the Twins added bullpen depth for later this season. He'll remain in Fort Myers when camp ends next week to get his arm stretched out before being assigned to a minor league team, presumably the Class AAA St. Paul Saints.

Petricka, 33, was one of the game's most reliable middle relievers early in his career with the White Sox, posting ERAs of 2.96 and 3.63 in 2014 and 2015, his first two full seasons. But he has thrown only 14 innings in the majors over the past three seasons, allowing 13 runs.

In addition to Petricka, the Twins announced the signing of JC Ramirez, another 33-year-old righthander who has played for the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Mariners, Reds and Angels, to a minor league contract.