Miami Marlins name LHP Wei-Yin Chen for Opening Day

The Miami Marlins named left-hander Wei-Yin Chen as their Opening Day starter over right-hander Jose Fernandez.

Manager Don Mattingly announced Sunday that Chen will get the start against the Detroit Tigers at Marlins Park on April 5.

Chen, 30, was signed to a five-year, $80 million contract this offseason. It will mark Chen's first start in an opener. He went 11-8 with a 3.34 ERA last season for the Baltimore Orioles. In four major league seasons, Chen is 46-32 with a 3.72 ERA.

Fernandez, 23, will start the second game on April 6 in Miami. He returned to the mound last July after undergoing Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in May 2014 and made 11 starts, going 6-1 with a 2.92 ERA.

The Marlins plan to put a limit on Fernandez's innings this season.

"Jose could very easily be the guy," Mattingly said before Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla. "I know he wanted to be the guy. But we feel like this was the best thing for the team moving forward, and Jose was fine.

"He loves to pitch. That's you got to love about him. He's got that energy about him, he loves being out there and competing. So I don't ever want to take that from him. I love that part about him. The fact he understands that we're trying to protect him, that's my responsibility."