Luke Hochevar will start on Opening Day for the Royals.

Royals manager Ned Yost made the announcement Monday in camp, also naming Jeff Francis, Kyle Davies and Bruce Chen as members of the club's season-opening rotation. Vin Mazzaro will serve as the fifth starter once the schedule requires one.

Luke Hochevar struggled against the Rockies on Friday, allowing four hits, two runs and a homer in 3 2/3 innings.

He struck out three and walked one. Just because Hochevar projects for the top of Kansas City's rotation this season doesn't mean he's a compelling late-round flier to take in mixed leagues. He will be worth monitoring, but that's it for the time being.

Luke Hochevar put in three innings of work on Sunday afternoon, allowing three hits and one run against the White Sox.

He walked none and struck out none. The Royals' de facto ace has now allowed seven hits and two runs in five innings this spring while striking out just one batter. Save for hopefully going a little deeper, that will be the kind of day Kansas City would gladly take from him most days in 2011.

Royals and RHP Luke Hochevar avoided arbitration Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year contract.

Hochevar qualified for Super Two status and was made eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter. A former No. 1 overall pick, he posted an underwhelming 4.81 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 17 starts in 2010 for the Royals. But Kansas City doesn't have many better options and will use him near the top of their rotation again in 2011. Financial terms have not been revealed.

Luke Hochevar and Josh Fields have qualified for Super Two status, which means they'll be eligible for salary arbitration this winter.

Hochevar signed a major league deal after becoming the No. 1 overall pick and made $1.76 million this season while posting a 4.81 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 17 starts. He's shown flashes of his vast potential, but he'll need to have some real signs of progress soon to avoid the "bust" label. Fields made $422,000 and missed most of the season due to hip surgery after coming over in a trade with the White Sox.

Luke Hochevar yielded two earned runs over six innings as part of a no-decision against the Twins on Wednesday night.

Hochevar's third season ends with a 6-6 record, 4.81 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 17 starts. It's a small step forward from his scary 2007 and 2008 campaigns, but he's still nowhere close to living up to the hype. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft will continue to tease us at times, but Hochevar hasn't shown many signs of "getting it" as he heads into his age-27 season.

Luke Hochevar yielded four earned runs over five innings in a loss to the Indians on Friday night.

Hochevar struck out five, walked one and gave up eight hits. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft has shown no signs of dominating batters and the Royals offense obviously isn't going to help him. With a 4.92 ERA and 1.41 WHIP this season, Hochevar should go undrafted in most 2011 fantasy formats.

Luke Hochevar limited the Indians to three runs in six innings to record a win on Sunday.

He gave up eight hits and a walk while striking out five. The outing was Hochevar's third start, and first win, since missing three months with an elbow strain. The former No. 1 overall pick has made strides this season by doing a better job of limiting the long ball, but it's not nearly enough to make him a fantasy option. At age 26 taking a step forward still can't be ruled out, but Hochevar should be treated as waiver wire fodder until further notice.

Luke Hochevar lost to the A's after giving up two unearned runs in five innings on Monday.

Hochevar's own error led to the first run. In the second, an error by center fielder Jerrod Dyson plated another. Hochevar allowed just two hits, but he did walk three while throwing 80 pitches. The Royals are still easing him back after he missed nearly three months with an elbow injury.

Royals activated RHP Luke Hochevar from the 60-day disabled list.

Hochevar gave up one run over three innings in his final rehab appearance Thursday. He'll piggyback the newly-activated Brian Bannister, who is scheduled to start against the Twins on Tuesday. Hochevar hasn't pitched since mid-June due to a right elbow strain.

Royals transferred RHP Luke Hochevar from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.

Some more roster maneuvering, Hochevar was cleared to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. The right-hander is scheduled to make his second minor league rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on Thursday and is expected to return in September. Hochevar has been sidelined since mid-June with a right elbow strain.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) will throw 45 pitches in his second minor league rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on Thursday.

Royals manager Ned Yost has Hochevar penciled in to return from the disabled list next Wednesday against the Twins. According to Yost, Hochevar will share the start with Brian Bannister, who is also scheduled to return from the disabled list on that date. They will likely work in tandem for two starts before being split up, though neither make for strong fantasy options.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) will make his first minor league rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.

Hochevar was given the go-ahead after throwing two sets of 16 pitches during a simulated game Tuesday. "I'm champing at the bit," said Hochevar. "When you are out for a while, it eats at you. You just want to get back out there and start competing again." Hochevar was 5-4 with a 4.96 ERA through 13 starts before going on the disabled list with a right elbow strain on June 12.

Royals manager Ned Yost was very pleased with Luke Hochevar's (elbow) side session Saturday.

"He threw two different fastballs - very live four-seamer, nice late action two-seamer," Yost said. "Curveball was falling off the table, great changeup." Hochevar will throw 30-35 pitches Tuesday, and if that goes well, he'll make a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Omaha. Given that he's been out since June 11, we would suspect that the right-hander would need at least two rehab starts before being activated.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) should begin a rehab assignment soon if he keeps progressing.

He'll throw one more bullpen session before having two simulated games. If all is well after that, he'll start a rehab assignment. Hochevar has missed 59 games with a sprained elbow.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) is scheduled to throw live batting practice Saturday.

"Everything's been going as planned, everything is good. I feel good and strong," said Hochevar. Once Hochevar completes a couple simulated games, he will likely go out on a minor league rehab assignment. He hopes to return sometime in September.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) hopes to begin a minor league rehab assignment later this month.

"It feels great," said Hochevar, who began throwing off a mound last week. "It really does feel good. Everything is coming along great. I'm throwing free and easy." Hochevar has been sidelined since the early part of June due to a strained right elbow.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) is expected to begin throwing off a mound in a week.

Hochevar, 26, has been playing catch since July 25. "It feels really good," the right-hander said Monday. "I'm throwing now at a certain number of throws at a certain number of distances and everything is going as planned and going good. Hopefully as we progress from this, we won't have any setbacks." Out since June 12 with an elbow strain, he's hoping to return in mid-August.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) began a throwing program Saturday.

He was on flat ground, throwing two sets of 25 pitches from 45 feet. The right-hander, who hasn't pitched since spraining his elbow on June 11, said he felt "awesome" following the workout. Hochevar had to halt a previous program because of soreness, so hopefully he can continue to progress. A timetable for his return hasn't been set.

Luke Hochevar (elbow) has yet to resume throwing.

Hochevar had a dye injection in his elbow before undergoing an MRI last weekend and is waiting for that to clear. "As soon as all that's gone," Royals manager Ned Yost said, "he'll get right back to throwing." The right-hander has been sidelined since June 16 and is still several weeks away.