List of New York Yankees Opening Day starting pitchers

The New York Yankees are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in The Bronx, New York City, New York. They play in the American League East division. The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starter is an honor, which is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season,[1] though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.[2] The Yankees have used 58 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 110 seasons. Since the franchise's beginning in 1901, the 58 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 58 wins, 36 losses, 1 tie (57–36–1), and 18 no decisions.[3][4] No decisions are only awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game. Although in modern baseball, ties are rare due to extra innings, in 1910, New York's Opening Game against the Boston Red Sox was declared a tie due to darkness – at the time, Hilltop Park had lacked adequate lighting.[5]

Yankee Stadium, New York's home field from 1923 to 1973, and 1976 to 2008.

Whitey Ford, Ron Guidry, and Mel Stottlemyre hold the Yankees record for most Opening Day starts with seven.[3] The other pitchers with three or more Opening Day starts for New York are CC Sabathia (6), Lefty Gomez (6), Red Ruffing (5), Jack Chesbro (4), Roger Clemens (4), Bob Shawkey (4), Masahiro Tanaka (4), Ray Caldwell (3), Jimmy Key (3), Vic Raschi (3), and most recently Gerrit Cole (3).[3] Jimmy Key holds the Yankee record for best Opening Day record with a perfect 3–0.[3]

On Opening Day, Yankee pitchers have a combined record of 35–12–1 when playing at home.[3] Of those games, pitchers have a 1–0 record at Oriole Park, a 3–1–1 record at Hilltop Park, a 2–3 record from Polo Grounds, a 28–8 record at Yankee Stadium, and a 1–0 record at Shea Stadium. When on the road for Opening Day, Yankee pitchers have a combined record of 28–27.

During the 1901 and 1902 seasons, the franchise played in Baltimore as the "Baltimore Orioles". The franchise has Opening Day record of 1–1 as Baltimore. After their move to New York in 1903, the franchise was known as the New York Highlanders until 1912. As the Highlanders, they had a 6–3–1 Opening Day record.[3] For seasons in which New York would later win the World Series, the starting pitchers have a 16–8 record.[3]

Season Each year is linked to an article about that particular Yankees season.
W Win
L Loss
ND (W) No decision by starting pitcher; Yankees won game
ND (L) No decision by starting pitcher; Yankees lost game
T Tie
Pitcher (#) Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Yankees
* Advanced to the post-season
** American League champions
World Series champions

Pitchers

edit
 
Joe McGinnity pitched on Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles in 1901.
 
George McConnell was New York's Opening Day starting pitcher in 1913.
 
Ray Caldwell started on Opening Day in 1912, 1916 and 1917.
 
Andy Pettitte started on Opening Day for the New York Yankees in 1998.
 
Opening Day 2004 marked Mike Mussina's first and only Opening Day start for the Yankees.
Season Pitcher Decision Opponent Location Ref(s)
1901 Joe McGinnity W Boston Americans Oriole Park [6]
1902 Tom Hughes L Boston Americans Huntington Avenue Grounds [7]
1903 Jack Chesbro L Washington Senators American League Park [8]
1904 Jack Chesbro (2) W Boston Americans Hilltop Park [9]
1905 Jack Chesbro (3) W Washington Senators American League Park [10]
1906 Jack Chesbro (4) W Boston Americans Hilltop Park [11]
1907 Al Orth W Washington Senators American League Park [12]
1908 Slow Joe Doyle W Philadelphia Athletics Hilltop Park [13]
1909 Doc Newton L Washington Senators American League Park [14]
1910 Hippo Vaughn T Boston Red Sox Hilltop Park [5][15]
1911 Hippo Vaughn (2) W Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [16]
1912 Ray Caldwell L Boston Red Sox Hilltop Park [17]
1913 George McConnell L Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [18]
1914 Marty McHale W Philadelphia Athletics Polo Grounds [19]
1915 Jack Warhop L Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [20]
1916 Ray Caldwell (2) L Washington Senators Polo Grounds [21]
1917 Ray Caldwell (3) L Boston Red Sox Polo Grounds [22]
1918 George Mogridge W Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [23]
1919 George Mogridge (2) L Boston Red Sox Polo Grounds [24]
1920 Bob Shawkey L Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [25]
1921** Carl Mays W Philadelphia Athletics Polo Grounds [26]
1922** Sad Sam Jones L Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [27]
1923 Bob Shawkey (2) W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [28]
1924 Bob Shawkey (3) W Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [29]
1925 Urban Shocker W Washington Senators Yankee Stadium [30]
1926** Bob Shawkey (4) W Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [31]
1927 Waite Hoyt W Philadelphia Athletics Yankee Stadium [32]
1928 Herb Pennock W Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [33]
1929 George Pipgras W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [34]
1930 George Pipgras (2) L Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [35]
1931 Red Ruffing W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [36]
1932 Lefty Gomez W Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [37]
1933 Lefty Gomez (2) W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [38]
1934 Lefty Gomez (3) ND (L) Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [39]
1935 Lefty Gomez (4) L Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [40]
1936 Lefty Gomez (5) L Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [41]
1937 Lefty Gomez (6) L Washington Senators Yankee Stadium [42]
1938 Red Ruffing (2) L Washington Senators Yankee Stadium [43]
1939 Red Ruffing (3) W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [44]
1940 Red Ruffing (4) L Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [45]
1941 Marius Russo W Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [46]
1942** Red Ruffing (5) W Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [47]
1943 Tiny Bonham ND (W) Washington Senators Yankee Stadium [48]
1944 Hank Borowy W Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [49]
1945 Atley Donald W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [50]
1946 Spud Chandler W Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [51]
1947 Spud Chandler (2) L Philadelphia Athletics Yankee Stadium [52]
1948 Allie Reynolds W Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [53]
1949 Ed Lopat W Washington Senators Yankee Stadium [54]
1950 Allie Reynolds (2) ND (W) Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [55]
1951 Vic Raschi W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [56]
1952 Vic Raschi (2) W Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [57]
1953 Vic Raschi (3) L Philadelphia Athletics Yankee Stadium [58]
1954 Whitey Ford ND (L) Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [59]
1955 Whitey Ford (2) W Washington Senators Yankee Stadium [60]
1956 Don Larsen W Washington Senators Griffith Stadium [3]
1957** Whitey Ford (3) W Washington Senators Yankee Stadium [3]
1958 Don Larsen (2) W Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [3]
1959 Bob Turley W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [3]
1960 Jim Coates W Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [3]
1961 Whitey Ford (4) L Minnesota Twins Yankee Stadium [3]
1962 Whitey Ford (5) ND (W) Baltimore Orioles Yankee Stadium [3]
1963** Ralph Terry W Kansas City Athletics Municipal Stadium [3]
1964** Whitey Ford (6) L Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [3]
1965 Jim Bouton ND (L) Minnesota Twins Metropolitan Stadium [3]
1966 Whitey Ford (7) L Detroit Tigers Yankee Stadium [3]
1967 Mel Stottlemyre W Washington Senators Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium [3]
1968 Mel Stottlemyre (2) W California Angels Yankee Stadium [3]
1969 Mel Stottlemyre (3) W Washington Senators Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium [3]
1970 Mel Stottlemyre (4) L Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [3]
1971 Stan Bahnsen L Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [3]
1972 Mel Stottlemyre (5) L Baltimore Orioles Memorial Stadium [3]
1973 Mel Stottlemyre (6) L Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [3]
1974 Mel Stottlemyre (7) W Cleveland Indians Shea Stadium [3]
1975 Doc Medich L Cleveland Indians Cleveland Stadium [3]
1976** Catfish Hunter L Milwaukee Brewers Milwaukee County Stadium [3]
1977 Catfish Hunter (2) W Milwaukee Brewers Yankee Stadium [3]
1978 Ron Guidry ND (L) Texas Rangers Arlington Stadium [3]
1979 Ron Guidry (2) L Milwaukee Brewers Yankee Stadium [3]
1980* Ron Guidry (3) ND (L) Texas Rangers Arlington Stadium [3]
1981** Tommy John W Texas Rangers Yankee Stadium [3]
1982 Ron Guidry (4) ND (L) Chicago White Sox Yankee Stadium [3]
1983 Ron Guidry (5) ND (L) Seattle Mariners Kingdome [3]
1984 Ron Guidry (6) L Kansas City Royals Royals Stadium [3]
1985 Phil Niekro L Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [3]
1986 Ron Guidry (7) W Kansas City Royals Yankee Stadium [3]
1987 Dennis Rasmussen ND (W) Detroit Tigers Tiger Stadium [3]
1988 Rick Rhoden W Minnesota Twins Yankee Stadium [3]
1989 Tommy John W Minnesota Twins Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome [3]
1990 Dave LaPoint ND (W) Cleveland Indians Yankee Stadium [3]
1991 Tim Leary ND (L) Detroit Tigers Tiger Stadium [3]
1992 Scott Sanderson W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [3]
1993 Jimmy Key W Cleveland Indians Cleveland Stadium [3]
1994 Jimmy Key (2) W Texas Rangers Yankee Stadium [3]
1995* Jimmy Key (3) W Texas Rangers Yankee Stadium [3]
1996 David Cone W Cleveland Indians Jacobs Field [3]
1997* David Cone (2) L Seattle Mariners Kingdome [3]
1998 Andy Pettitte L Anaheim Angels Edison International Field of Anaheim [3]
1999 Roger Clemens ND (L) Oakland Athletics Network Associates Coliseum [3]
2000 Orlando Hernandez W Anaheim Angels Edison International Field of Anaheim [3]
2001** Roger Clemens (2) W Kansas City Royals Yankee Stadium [3]
2002* Roger Clemens (3) L Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards [3]
2003** Roger Clemens (4) W Toronto Blue Jays SkyDome [3]
2004* Mike Mussina L Tampa Bay Devil Rays Tokyo Dome [3]
2005* Randy Johnson W Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [3]
2006* Randy Johnson (2) W Oakland Athletics McAfee Coliseum [3]
2007* Carl Pavano ND (W) Tampa Bay Devil Rays Yankee Stadium [3]
2008 Chien-Ming Wang W Toronto Blue Jays Yankee Stadium [61]
2009 CC Sabathia L Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards [4]
2010* CC Sabathia (2) ND (L) Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [62]
2011* CC Sabathia (3) ND (W) Detroit Tigers Yankee Stadium [3]
2012* CC Sabathia (4) ND (L) Tampa Bay Rays Tropicana Field [3]
2013 CC Sabathia (5) L Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [3]
2014 CC Sabathia (6) L Houston Astros Minute Maid Park [3]
2015* Masahiro Tanaka L Toronto Blue Jays Yankee Stadium [3]
2016 Masahiro Tanaka (2) ND (L) Houston Astros Yankee Stadium [3]
2017* Masahiro Tanaka (3) L Tampa Bay Rays Tropicana Field [3]
2018* Luis Severino W Toronto Blue Jays Rogers Centre [3]
2019* Masahiro Tanaka (4) W Baltimore Orioles Yankee Stadium [3]
2020* Gerrit Cole W Washington Nationals Nationals Park [3]
2021* Gerrit Cole (2) ND (L) Toronto Blue Jays Yankee Stadium [3]
2022* Gerrit Cole (3) ND (W) Boston Red Sox Yankee Stadium [3]
2023 Gerrit Cole (4) W San Francisco Giants Yankee Stadium [3]
2024 Nestor Cortés Jr. ND (W) Houston Astros Minute Maid Park [3]

References

edit
General
  • "All-Time Opening Day line-ups" (PDF). Major League Baseball. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
Specific
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