List of Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day starting pitchers

Source From Wikipedia English.

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, though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day. 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. "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. 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.

Overall, Rays starting pitchers have a combined 5–7 record at home and 2–3 when they are away for Opening Day. In 2004, the Rays opened the season against the New York Yankees at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. 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. Tampa Bay beat the Yankees 8–3 in that game, giving starting pitcher Victor Zambrano the win.

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
1999 Wilson Alvarez (2) L Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards
2000 Steve Trachsel W Minnesota Twins Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
2001 Albie Lopez W Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field
2002 Tanyon Sturtze ND (W) Detroit Tigers Tropicana Field
2003 Joe Kennedy ND (W) Boston Red Sox Tropicana Field
2004 Victor Zambrano W New York Yankees Tokyo Dome
2005 Dewon Brazelton L Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field
2006 Scott Kazmir ND (L) Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards
2007 Scott Kazmir (2) L New York Yankees Yankee Stadium
2008** James Shields W Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards
2009 James Shields (2) L Boston Red Sox Fenway Park
2010* James Shields (3) ND (W) Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field
2011* David Price L Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field
2012 James Shields (4) ND (W) New York Yankees Tropicana Field
2013* David Price (2) ND (L) Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field
2014 David Price (3) W Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field
2015 Chris Archer L Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field
2016 Chris Archer (2) L Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field
2017 Chris Archer (3) W New York Yankees Tropicana Field
2018 Chris Archer (4) ND (W) Boston Red Sox Tropicana Field
2019* Blake Snell L Houston Astros Tropicana Field
2020** Charlie Morton L Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field
2021* Tyler Glasnow ND (W) Miami Marlins loanDepot Park
2022* Shane McClanahan ND (W) Baltimore Orioles Tropicana Field
2023* Shane McClanahan (2) W Detroit Tigers Tropicana Field
2024 Zach Eflin L Toronto Blue Jays Tropicana Field

References