SURPRISE, Ariz. — Center fielder Lorenzo Cain will test the recovery of his strained right hand Saturday by taking batting practice for the first time since suffering the injury earlier in camp.

“If it feels the way I think it will feel,” he said, “I’ll be playing on Monday.”

Manager Ned Yost was more cautious.

“We want him to get back into it,” he said, “but we’ll see. He’s feeling much better.”

Jarrod Dyson is the tentative starter in center field Friday for the Cactus League opener against Texas at Surprise Stadium.

Yost also better

Yost continues to make rapid improvement after undergoing surgery Tuesday afternoon to remove his gall bladder.

“I feel pretty darn good,” he said. “I don’t know what it is. Maybe I’m tough. Maybe it’s not a tough surgery. But on a (pain) scale of one to 10…it’s maybe a two. I feel much better because it’s out. It’s sore, but I don’t have that side-ache pain.”

Cactus opener

The Royals open their 36-game Cactus League schedule at 2:05 p.m. Central time Friday against Texas. It is the first of three straight games between the co-tenants at the Surprise Recreation Campus.

Friday’s game is the annual charity game between the two clubs, and it’s Texas’ turn to serve as the home team. The game can be heard on KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City and does count in the Cactus League standings.

The Royals’ lineup against Texas lefty Derek Holland: LF Alex Gordon, SS Alcides Escobar, 1B Eric Hosmer, DH Billy Butler, C Salvy Perez, 3B Mike Moustakas, RF Jeff Francoeur, 2B Johnny Giavotella and CF Jarrod Dyson.

Lefty Will Smith will start for the Royals with Yordano Ventura, Justin Marks, Nate Adcock, Sugar Ray Marimon, Michael Mariot and Blaine Boyer also scheduled to pitch. The Rangers announced Robbie Ross and Alexi Ogando will follow Holland.

The teams will also play Saturday and Sunday. The Royals plan to start Guillermo Moscoso and Luis Mendoza, while Rangers list Randy Wells and Matt Harrison.

Pictures and golf

The Royals held their annual Photo Day on Thursday before working through a short workout. The pictures taken include the official headshots that will be distributed to the media and shown on scoreboards around both leagues.

After a short workout, the Royals departed for a scramble-format golf tournament that doubled as a team-building exercise. It was held at the Raven Golf Club near Sky Harbor Airport.

Right fielder Jeff Francoeur organized the event, which consisted of four-man teams.

“I gave myself the worst team,” he said. “I’ve got (Felipe) Paulino and (Kelvin) Herrera on my team. I did that so I can pull a huge upset.”

Herrera admitted, “I’ve never played golf. There has to be a first time, right?”

Francoeur’s fourth team member is Louis Coleman.