PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- A comeback story will be front and center Wednesday, when the Rays play their Grapefruit League opener at 1:05 p.m. ET against the Reds at Charlotte Sports Park.

Carlos Hernandez will start for Tampa Bay, and the left-hander is hoping to open eyes, which, in essence, could expedite his return to the Major Leagues.

Hernandez, 28, spent parts of three years with the Astros, compiling a 9-8 record with a 4.54 ERA in 35 games, 33 of which were starts. He has not pitched in the Major Leagues since 2004 due to a series of shoulder injuries.

"I got hurt," Hernandez said. "I was out of the big leagues, trying to recover from [injuries and surgeries]. Right now, I'm feeling better and I feel that I'm ready. I don't want to sound cocky, but this is a chance, and I'm not going to let this go. And I'm going to try as hard as I can, work as hard as I can to get back to the big leagues."

Hernandez made his Major League debut at 21, jumping straight to the Astros from Double-A in 2001. As a rookie, he went 1-0 with a 1.02 ERA in three starts, including 17 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.

"Before, I used to be pretty much a hard thrower," Hernandez said.

In 2002, Hernandez began the season as the Astros' fifth starter in a rotation fronted by Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller, and the young lefty finished the season at 7-5 with a 4.38 ERA in 21 starts and two relief stints. Hernandez then missed all of the '03 season due to surgeries to repair a small tear of the labrum and in the rotator cuff of his left shoulder. He has struggled since and did not pitch at all during the '07 season.

"Basically, I wanted to give my mind a break [in 2007]," Hernandez said. "I was stressed out after two surgeries. I was not in baseball. I just wanted to take a break.

"After that, I was trying to show teams, players, coaches, whoever, that there was something left in me. Being a lefty is just a plus. That's what I was looking just to prove. But I'm sure I can make a big league roster and still pitch in the big leagues."

Hernandez signed with the Rays on July 28 and made six starts at Class A Vero Beach, where he posted a 2-1 mark with a 1.04 ERA; opposing batters hit just .131 against him. And now he will be afforded an opportunity to show his stuff on Wednesday.

"I've been looking for this [opportunity] the last two years," Hernandez said. "I was out of baseball for two years. I had the opportunity to get back with [the Rays]. ... They gave me a chance to get back into baseball. I really appreciate the organization giving me this opportunity to be here. And now that they give me the chance to pitch in the first Spring Training game, I'm all excited about it, looking forward to it."

Rays manager Joe Maddon likes Hernandez, noting, "This fellow here I find intriguing, from what he's done in the past with Houston."

"He's very focused," Maddon said. "And he's got good stuff. This guy used to throw 91, 92, 93 [mph] with [a good curveball], good changeup, and now he's got this cutter. He's very good holding on runners. So he's kind of like the complete package. So we'll see -- see what he's got going on. He came here to make the team. I know that."

Despite Hernandez's past, he doesn't give off a "poor me" vibe.

"After all I've been through, it kind of taught me to pitch -- like using my changeup and curveball," Hernandez said. "And I learned a cutter. It's one more pitch. And, you know, that's something that really makes me a better pitcher. I went through a lot of stuff. That happens, that's part of life, but I think that made me a better pitcher."

Hernandez said he's "looking forward to making the team."

"If I don't, I'm just going to go ahead to wherever they send me and continue to work hard to try and get back to the big leagues," Hernandez said. "That's my main goal right now."