List of Boston Red Sox Opening Day starting pitchers is a topic that has captured the attention of millions of people around the world. With its wide scope and impact on society, this issue has generated intense debate both in the media and in the public sphere. From its origins to its current influence, List of Boston Red Sox Opening Day starting pitchers has left an indelible mark on history, affecting individuals and communities alike. In this article, we will explore the various facets of List of Boston Red Sox Opening Day starting pitchers in detail, analyzing its impact, implications, and possible solutions.
The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Boston, Massachusetts. They have played in the American League since it was founded in 1901, and the American League East since divisions were introduced in 1969. The first game of each baseball season for a team is known as Opening Day, for which being named the starting pitcher is an honor. That honor is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season, although there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.
Including the team's first 2024 game, the team has had 124 Opening Days. In those Opening Day games:
Decade | Team W–L–T |
Pitchers' W–L (ND) |
New starters† |
---|---|---|---|
1900s‡ | 4–5 | 4–5 | 4 (Kellum, Young, Winter, Arellanes) |
1910s | 5–4–1 | 5–4 (1) | 6 (Cicotte, Wood, Collins, Shore, Ruth, Mays) |
1920s | 3–7 | 3–6 (1) | 8 (Russell, Jones, Quinn, Ehmke, Ferguson, Harriss, Harriss, Ruffing) |
1930s | 5–5 | 4–4 (2) | 6 (Moore, Andrews, Rhodes, Ferrell, Bagby, Grove) |
1940s | 6–4 | 4–4 (2) | 6 (Wilson, Newsome, Hughson, Terry, Cecil, Dobson) |
1950s | 5–5 | 4–4 (2) | 4 (Parnell, Wight, Sullivan, Brewer) |
1960s | 5–5 | 3–4 (3) | 6 (Sturdivant, Monbouquette, Schwall, Wilson, Lonborg, Ellsworth) |
1970s | 6–4 | 5–2 (3) | 7 (Peters, Culp, Pattin, Tiant, Jenkins, Torrez, Eckersley) |
1980s | 2–8 | 2–3 (5) | 4 (Hurst, Boyd, Stanley, Clemens) |
1990s | 8–2 | 6–2 (2) | 3 (Sele, Gordon, Martinez) |
2000s | 4–6 | 3–3 (4) | 4 (Wells, Schilling, Matsuzaka, Beckett) |
2010s | 5–5 | 4–2 (4) | 5 (Lester, Buchholz, Price, Porcello, Sale) |
2020s | 2–3 | 2–2 (1) | 3 (Eovaldi, Kluber, Bello) |
TOTALS | 60–63–1 | 49–45 (30) | 66 |
‡ 1900s spans nine seasons, as 1901 was the team's first season.
† Number of pitchers making their first Opening Day start for the Red Sox franchise, along with their surnames. Pitchers' full names appear in the below List.
Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Red Sox season. |
W | Win |
L | Loss |
T | Tie |
ND (X) | No decision by starting pitcher; (X) indicates game outcome for Red Sox |
Pitcher (#) | Number of Opening Day starts for the Red Sox, if more than one |
* | Team advanced to the post-season |
** | American League (AL) Champions |
*** | World Series Champions |