GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Things can change quickly in life and baseball.

Last year during spring training, Corey Kluber didn't even make the opening day roster. After throwing four innings against the Padres on Wednesday, Kluber was told by manager Terry Francona that he'll be pitching the second game of the season on April 1 against Oakland at o.com Coliseum.

“I think he deserves it,” said Francona. “Corey is quietly becoming one of the better pitchers in the game. It’s going to be fun to watch him grow.”

Francona announced Justin Masterson as his opening day starter on Tuesday and Kluber as the No.2 starter on Wednesday. If form holds true, Zach McAllister should be announced as the No. 3 starter after he faces Kansas City on Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark.

After that things get dicey.

Whoever wins the job for the open spot in the rotation, will probably start the home opener on April 4 against the Twins. Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer and Aaron Harang are competing for that spot and it’s anybody’s guess who will win it.

Danny Salazar, projected to be the Tribe's No.2 starter during the winter, seems destined to open in the fifth spot for the regular season. The Indians held Salazar back this spring to give him every chance to complete the 162-game regular season.

Salazar made his first Cactus League start Monday and will be stretched out to only five innings by the time the regular season opens March 31. The Indians will be able to skip him the first time through the rotation because of the April 3 off day and give him his first start April 8 against San Diego at Progressive Field.

Last year Kluber came to spring training following surgery on his right knee. He did it changing his daughter’s diaper.

The knee bothered Kluber throughout camp, but he never complained. When Kluber was called up on April 17, Francona asked him why he didn’t say anything about his knee.

“Klubes told me, ‘what was I going to say?’” said Francona. “That showed me something.”

Kluber went 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA last year. He made 26 appearances, including 24 starts, and pitched 147 1/3 innings.

Hot stuff: The race at the hot corner between Carlos Santana and Lonnie Chisenhall is starting to sizzle.

Santana hit a two-run homer Wednesday and made two nice plays at third base in the Indians 12-7 victory over the Padres.

On Tuesday, Chisenhall hit a two-run homer against Arizona. Chisenhall started at DH Wednesday and went 2-for-4.

“I hope all our guys do great,” said Francona. “If that’s the issue for us, that too many of our guys played well, we’ll accept that.”

First cut: The Indians sent 12 players to minor league camp on Wednesday. There are still 53 players on the spring training roster.

“I told our guys, ‘OK, we had our first round of cuts,’” said Francona. “They were all younger guys. Now there’s a group of guys in there competing and the anxiety builds a little bit.

“I get that. We want to see the best out of everybody. Then if we have to make tough decisions based on guys doing really well, it’s a heckuva lot better than basing it on two guys getting hurt and two guys who looked like they couldn’t play.”

Five players were optioned to Class AAA Columbus: right-hander Austin Adams, left-hander T.J. House, infielder Jesus Aguilar, infielder Jose Ramirez and outfielder Carlos Moncrief.

Shortstop Erik Gonzalez was optioned to Class A Carolina and shortstop Francisco Lindor, catcher Jake Lowery, center fielder Tyler Naquin, catcher Roberto Perez, infielder Joey Wendle and catcher Tony Wolters were re-assigned to big-league camp.

“I knew I wasn’t going to break camp with the team since Day One,” said Lindor, the Indians No.1 pick in 2011. “I’ve just got to work to be the best player I can be and hopefully soon they’ll see I belong in the big leagues.”

Extra innings: The Indians are working hard to get their pitchers the necessary innings to get ready for the season and to make evaluations on who stays and who goes.

Carrasco will throw four innings in a B game against Kansas City on Thursday. Salazar is scheduled to throw three innings in a minor league game on March 14 with Cody Allen following him for one inning.

Bauer is scheduled to pitch four innings in a minor league game Saturday. This will give the Indians a chance to see as many relievers as they can Cactus League games against better competition.

Testing, testing: Frank Herrmann gave up three runs on four hits in his Cactus League debut Wednesday. Herrmann took the mound in the ninth inning a day short of a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

“It was a big step for him,” said Francona.

Finally: David Murphy was back in right field Wednesday after DHing a couple of games because of a sore left elbow ... Ryan Raburn (left knee) played in a B game Tuesday against the White Sox and had a couple of hits. "It still hurts, but it's one of those things where I'm not going to hurt it any worse than it is." Raburn is scheduled to play on Thursday against Kansas City ... Nyjer Morgan left Wednesday's game with a tight calf after an eighth-inning double.