The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida. 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 Rays have used fifteen different Opening Day starting pitchers in their twenty-six seasons. Since the franchise's beginning in 1998, the fifteen starters have a combined Opening Day record of seven wins, ten losses (7–10), and nine no decisions.[3][4][5][6] "No decisions" are awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game.

Chris Archer and James Shields holds the Rays' record for most Opening Day starts with four. Archer has one win, two losses, and one no decision, while Shields has one win, one loss, and two no decisions.[3] The all-time record for a Tampa Bay starting pitcher winning an Opening Day game is one, shared by Steve Trachsel, Albie Lopez, Victor Zambrano, James Shields, David Price, Chris Archer, and Shane McClanahan.[3]

Overall, Rays starting pitchers have a combined 5–7 record at home and 2–3 when they are away for Opening Day.[3][5] In 2004, the Rays opened the season against the New York Yankees at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.[3][7] Although that game was not played in Tampa Bay's actual home of Tropicana Field, it was still considered a home game for the Rays.[3][7] Tampa Bay beat the Yankees 8–3 in that game, giving starting pitcher Victor Zambrano the win.[7]

Key

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

Pitchers

Chris Archer had four consecutive Opening Day starts with the Rays from 2015 to 2018.
Season Pitcher Decision Opponent Location Ref(s)
1998 Wilson Alvarez L Detroit Tigers Tropicana Field [3][4]
1999 Wilson Alvarez (2) L Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards [3][4]
2000 Steve Trachsel W Minnesota Twins Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome [3][4]
2001 Albie Lopez W Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field [3][4]
2002 Tanyon Sturtze ND (W) Detroit Tigers Tropicana Field [3][4][8]
2003 Joe Kennedy ND (W) Boston Red Sox Tropicana Field [3][4][9]
2004 Victor Zambrano W New York Yankees Tokyo Dome [3][4][7]
2005 Dewon Brazelton L Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field [3][4][10]
2006 Scott Kazmir ND (L) Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards [3][4][11]
2007 Scott Kazmir (2) L New York Yankees Yankee Stadium [3][4][12]
2008** James Shields W Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards [3][4][13]
2009 James Shields (2) L Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [3][4][5]
2010* James Shields (3) ND (W) Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field [3][4][6]
2011* David Price L Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field [3][4][14]
2012 James Shields (4) ND (W) New York Yankees Tropicana Field [3][4][15]
2013* David Price (2) ND (L) Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field [3][4][16]
2014 David Price (3) W Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field [3][4][17]
2015 Chris Archer L Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field [3][4][18]
2016 Chris Archer (2) L Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field [3][4][19]
2017 Chris Archer (3) W New York Yankees Tropicana Field [3][4]
2018 Chris Archer (4) ND (W) Boston Red Sox Tropicana Field [3][4]
2019* Blake Snell L Houston Astros Tropicana Field [3][4]
2020** Charlie Morton L Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field [3][4]
2021* Tyler Glasnow ND (W) Miami Marlins loanDepot Park [3][4]
2022* Shane McClanahan ND (W) Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field [3][4]
2023* Shane McClanahan (2) W Detroit Tigers Tropicana Field [3][4]

References

  1. ^ Bastian, Jordan (March 22, 2010). "Marcum tapped for Jays' Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  2. ^ Dilbeck, Steve (February 24, 2014). "Dodgers may not start Clayton Kershaw in Sydney". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af "Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day Starters and Results". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "Tampa Bay Devil Rays Opening Day History". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved September 25, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c "Boston 5, Tampa Bay 3". Yahoo!. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Tampa Bay 4, Baltimore 3". Yahoo!. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d "Rays tee off on Mussina in Tokyo". ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  8. ^ "Devil Rays 9, Tigers 5". ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  9. ^ "Red Sox's closer-by-committee theory fails first test". ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  10. ^ "Halladay pitches Jays to opening victory". ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  11. ^ "Homer-happy O's win sixth straight on Opening Day". ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  12. ^ "Yankees beat Rays on emotional Opening Day". ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  13. ^ "Rays win first season opener in eight years". ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  14. ^ "David Price officially named Tampa Bay Rays' opening day starter". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on March 19, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  15. ^ "Tampa Bay Rays beat New York Yankees 7-6 on Carlos Peña's walkoff single". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  16. ^ "Bullpen betrays Rays in 7-4, season-opening loss to Orioles". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  17. ^ "Rays blast Blue Jays 9-2 to open season". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  18. ^ "Mistake-prone Rays lose season opener to Orioles". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  19. ^ "Archer K's 12, but Rays lose opener to Blue Jays". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 5, 2016.

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