Chris Archer will take the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day. 

Manager Kevin Cash announced the rotation on Thursday. 

Archer will be followed by Jake Odorizzi, Alex Cobb, Blake Snell and Matt Andriese.

The Rays open the season April 2 at Tropicana Field against the New York Yankees. After a 3-game home set against the Yankees and then the Blue Jays, the Rays travel to face the Yankees and Red Sox. 

In fact, of the Rays' 26 games in the opening month of April, 20 of the games are against AL East foes. 

In Archer, Tampa Bay sends its talented right-hander who struggled last year, to open 2017 - his third Opening Day assignment. Archer went 9-19 in 2016 with a 4.02 ERA. However, Archer did post 233 strikeouts, second-best in the American League.

Odorizzi was Tampa Bay's lone winning pitcher in 2016, going 10-6 with a 3.69 ERA. 

Cobb went 1-2 in limited action last season after returning from Tommy John surgery while Snell (6-8) and Andriese (8-8) manned the fourth and fifth starter slots.