The Los Angeles Angels are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Anaheim, California. They play in the American League West division. The franchise has also gone by the names "Los Angeles Angels", "California Angels" and "Anaheim Angels" at various points in its history. 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 Angels have used 25 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 51 seasons. The 25 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 26 wins, 18 losses and 7 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. It can also result if a starting pitcher does not pitch five full innings, even if his team retains the lead and wins.
Jered Weaver has the most Opening Day starts for the Angels, with seven, and had 6 consecutive opening day starts from 2010 to 2015. He has a record of three wins and two losses, with one no decision in those starts that resulted in a win. Mike Witt has the second most starts, with five, with one win, three losses, and one no decision that resulted in a loss. Frank Tanana, Mark Langston and Chuck Finley have all made four Opening Day starts for the Angels. Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, Bartolo Colón and Jered Weaver have each made three such starts for the Angels.
Nolan Ryan has the Angels record for most wins in Opening Day starts with three. He also has the best win–loss record in Opening Day starts for the Angels, which is 3–0. The other Angels pitchers with multiple wins in Opening Day starts without a loss are Ken McBride and Andy Messersmith. Mike Witt has the record for most losses in Opening Day starts for the Angels with three. Frank Tanana and Chuck Finley each had two such losses.
The Angels have played in three home ball parks. They played their first season in Wrigley Field, which was designed to look like Wrigley Field in Chicago, but never played an Opening Day home game there. In 1962, they moved to Dodger Stadium, but only stayed there through 1965. They played two Opening Day games at Dodger Stadium, winning once and losing once. The Angels finally moved to Angel Stadium of Anaheim in 1966, which was first called Anaheim Stadium, then subsequently renamed Edison International Field of Anaheim later. They have played 29 Opening Day games there, and their starting pitchers have 15 wins and 12 losses with 2 no decisions. This makes their record at home in Opening Day games 15 wins and 13 losses with 2 no decisions. In Opening Day games on the road, their starting pitchers have a record of 10 wins and 5 losses with 5 no decisions.
The Angels have played in one World Series championship in their history, which they won in 2002. Jarrod Washburn was the Angels Opening Day starting pitcher that season. The Angels lost that Opening Day game to the Cleveland Indians. The winning pitcher for the Indians in that game was Bartolo Colón, who would make three Opening Day starts for the Angels later in his career.
Key
SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Angels season.WWinLLossND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Angels won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Angels lost gameFinal scoreGame score with Angels runs listed firstLocationStadium in italics for home gamePitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Angels*Advanced to the post-season**Won American League Championship Series†Won World Series
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1961WBaltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium1962 ND (L)Chicago White SoxWhite Sox Park1963WBoston Red SoxDodger Stadium1964 WWashington SenatorsDistrict of Columbia Stadium1965LCleveland IndiansDodger Stadium1966ND (L)Chicago White SoxWhite Sox Park1967WDetroit TigersAnaheim Stadium1968 LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium1969LSeattle PilotsAnaheim Stadium1970WMilwaukee BrewersMilwaukee County Stadium1971LKansas City RoyalsAnaheim Stadium1972 WTexas RangersAnaheim Stadium1973WKansas City RoyalsAnaheim Stadium1974 WChicago White SoxWhite Sox Park1975 WKansas City RoyalsAnaheim Stadium1976LOakland AthleticsAnaheim Stadium1977 WSeattle MarinersKingdome1978 WOakland AthleticsAnaheim Stadium1979* LSeattle MarinersKingdome1980WCleveland IndiansAnaheim Stadium1981WSeattle MarinersKingdome1982*ND (L)Oakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1983WMilwaukee BrewersAnaheim Stadium1984 WBoston Red SoxAnaheim Stadium1985LMinnesota TwinsAnaheim Stadium1986* ND (L)Seattle MarinersKingdome1987 WSeattle MarinersAnaheim Stadium1988 LChicago White SoxComiskey Park1989 LChicago White SoxAnaheim Stadium1990LSeattle MarinersAnaheim Stadium1991WSeattle MarinersKingdome1992LChicago White SoxAnaheim Stadium1993 WMilwaukee BrewersAnaheim Stadium1994 WMinnesota TwinsHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1995 LDetroit TigersAnaheim Stadium1996 LMilwaukee BrewersAnaheim Stadium1997 ND (L)Boston Red SoxAnaheim Stadium1998 WNew York YankeesEdison International Field of Anaheim1999ND (W)Cleveland IndiansEdison International Field of Anaheim2000LNew York YankeesEdison International Field of Anaheim2001LTexas RangersRangers Ballpark in Arlington2002†LCleveland IndiansEdison International Field of Anaheim2003LTexas RangersEdison International Field of Anaheim2004* WSeattle MarinersSafeco Field2005* WTexas RangersAngel Stadium of Anaheim2006 ND (W)Seattle MarinersSafeco Field2007* WTexas RangersAngel Stadium of Anaheim2008*LMinnesota TwinsHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2009*WOakland AthleticsAngel Stadium of Anaheim2010 WMinnesota TwinsAngel Stadium of Anaheim2011 WKansas City RoyalsKauffman Stadium2012 WKansas City RoyalsAngel Stadium of Anaheim2013 ND (W)Cincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2014* LSeattle MarinersAngel Stadium of Anaheim2015 LSeattle MarinersSafeco Field2016LChicago CubsAngel Stadium of Anaheim2017LOakland AthleticsOakland Alameda Coliseum2018 ND (L)Oakland AthleticsOakland Alameda Coliseum2019LOakland AthleticsOakland Alameda Coliseum2020ND (L)Oakland AthleticsOakland Alameda Coliseum2021ND (W)Chicago White SoxAngel Stadium of Anaheim2022 LHouston AstrosAngel Stadium of Anaheim2023 ND (L)Oakland AthleticsRingCentral Coliseum2024 LBaltimore OriolesOriole Park at Camden Yards2025 LChicago White SoxRate Field2026 WHouston AstrosDaikin Park
References