The Seattle Mariners are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Seattle, Washington. They play in the American League West division. The first game of each baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day. 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 Mariners have used 20 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 50 seasons. The 20 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 18 wins, 15 losses, and 17 no decisions. No decisions are only awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game.
Félix Hernández has the most Opening Day starts with eleven, with a record of 7–2. Randy Johnson has the most starts in the former home ballpark of the Mariners, the Kingdome, compiling an Opening Day record of 2–0 in six starts. Hernández and Jamie Moyer have the most starts in T-Mobile Park, the Mariners' current home ballpark, with three each. Moyer has an Opening Day record of 1–2. Mark Langston has the worst winning percentage as the Opening Day starting pitcher with a record of 0–3, all of which were pitched on the road.
Overall, Mariners' starters have a record of 7–4 at the Kingdome on Opening Day, compared to a 6–4 record at Safeco Field/T-Mobile Park, making their combined home record 13–10 and their away record 7–7. The Mariners went on to play in the American League Division Series (ALDS) playoff games in , , , , , and . Johnson, Jeff Fassero, Moyer, Freddy García, Robbie Ray, and Logan Gilbert were the Opening Day starting pitchers those years, respectively, and had a combined Opening Day record of 3–1.
Key SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Mariners season.WWinLLossND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Mariners won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Mariners lost gamePitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Mariners*Advanced to the postseason
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionOpponentLocationRef(s)1977LCalifornia AngelsKingdome1978WMinnesota TwinsKingdome1979 ND (W)California AngelsKingdome1980WToronto Blue JaysKingdome1981 LCalifornia AngelsKingdome1982WMinnesota TwinsHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1983ND (W)New York YankeesKingdome1984ND (W)Toronto Blue JaysKingdome1985 WOakland AthleticsKingdome1986 ND (W)California AngelsKingdome1987LCalifornia AngelsAnaheim Stadium1988 LOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1989 LOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1990WCalifornia AngelsKingdome1991LCalifornia AngelsKingdome1992ND (L)Texas RangersKingdome1993 WToronto Blue JaysKingdome1994 ND (L)Cleveland IndiansJacobs Field1995* WDetroit TigersKingdome1996 ND (W)Chicago White SoxKingdome1997*WNew York YankeesKingdome1998 ND (L)Cleveland IndiansKingdome1999 LChicago White SoxKingdome2000*LBoston Red SoxSafeco Field2001*ND (W)Oakland AthleticsSafeco Field2002 LChicago White SoxSafeco Field2003 LOakland AthleticsNetwork Associates Coliseum2004 LAnaheim AngelsSafeco Field2005 WMinnesota TwinsSafeco Field2006 ND (L)Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimSafeco Field2007WOakland AthleticsSafeco Field2008ND (W)Texas RangersSafeco Field2009 WMinnesota TwinsHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2010 ND (W)Oakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum2011 WOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum2012 ND (W)Oakland AthleticsTokyo Dome2013 WOakland AthleticsO.co Coliseum2014 WLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimAngel Stadium2015 WLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimSafeco Field2016 LTexas RangersGlobe Life Park in Arlington2017 LHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park2018 WCleveland IndiansSafeco Field2019WOakland AthleticsTokyo Dome2020 LHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park2021 ND (W)San Francisco GiantsT-Mobile Park2022*WMinnesota TwinsTarget Field2023 ND (W)Cleveland GuardiansT-Mobile Park2024 LBoston Red SoxT-Mobile Park2025* ND (W)AthleticsT-Mobile Park2026 ND (L)Cleveland GuardiansT-Mobile Park
Records by Pitcher + Pitchers with at least two starts Pitcher Num Starts Player W–L (ND) Team W–L Felix Hernandez 11 7–2 (2) 9–2 Randy Johnson 6 2–0 (4) 3–3 Jamie Moyer 4 1–2 (1) 1–3 Mike Moore31–0 (2)3–0 Glenn Abbott31–1 (1)2–1 Marco Gonzales31–1 (1)2–1 Freddy Garcia30–2 (1)1–2 Mark Langston30–30–3 Jeff Fassero21–11–1Logan Gilbert20–0 (2)1–1 Luis Castillo20–1 (1)1–1
References