The Minnesota Twins are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the American League Central division. They formerly played in Washington, D.C. as the Washington Senators before moving to Minnesota after the 1960 season. 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 Twins have used 26 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 51 seasons in Minnesota. Starters have a combined Opening Day record of 14 wins, 25 losses and 12 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.
Brad Radke holds the Minnesota Twins record for most Opening Day starts with nine. He has a record in Opening Day starts for the Twins of four wins and two losses (4–2) with three no decisions. Bert Blyleven had six Opening Day starts for the Twins and Frank Viola had four. Radke has the record for most wins in Minnesota Twins Opening Day starts with four. Liván Hernández, Mudcat Grant, and Dean Chance share the best winning percentage in Opening Day starts with one win and no losses (1–0) each. Kevin Tapani has the worst winning percentage, losing both Opening Day starts he made for the Twins (0–2).
Overall, Minnesota Twins Opening Day starting pitchers have a record of 4–7 with three no decisions at Metropolitan Stadium and a 1–4 record with one no decision at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Their first home opener in their current ballpark of Target Field was in 2013. This gives their Opening Day starting pitchers' combined home record 5–11 with four no no decisions. Their away record is 9–14 with eight no decisions. The Twins went on to play in the World Series in , , and , winning in 1987 and 1991. The Twins lost both Opening Day games in the years in which they won the World Series.
Key
SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Twins season.WWinLLossND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Twins won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Twins lost gameFinalScoreGame score with Twins runs listed firstLocationStadium in bold for home gamePitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Twins*Advanced to the post-season**Won American League Championship Series†Won World Series
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1961WNew York YankeesYankee Stadium (I)1962LKansas City AthleticsMunicipal Stadium1963LCleveland IndiansMetropolitan Stadium1964 ND (W)Cleveland IndiansCleveland Stadium1965** ND (W)New York YankeesMetropolitan Stadium1966WKansas City AthleticsMetropolitan Stadium1967 LBaltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium1968WWashington SenatorsRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium1969* ND (L)Kansas City RoyalsMunicipal Stadium1970* WChicago White SoxComiskey Park1971 LMilwaukee BrewersMetropolitan Stadium1972 ND (L)Oakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1973 WOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1974 ND (W)Kansas City RoyalsRoyals Stadium1975 WTexas RangersArlington Stadium1976 ND (L)Texas RangersArlington Stadium1977LOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1978 LSeattle MarinersKingdome1979 WOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1980 ND (W)Oakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1981 LOakland AthleticsMetropolitan Stadium1982*LSeattle MarinersHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1983LDetroit TigersHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1984LDetroit TigersHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1985WCalifornia AngelsAnaheim Stadium1986 WOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1987† ND (W)Oakland AthleticsHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1988 LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium (I)1989 LNew York YankeesHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1990LOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1991†LOakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1992 ND (W)Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee County Stadium1993LChicago White SoxHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1994 LCalifornia AngelsHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1995 LBoston Red SoxFenway Park1996 WDetroit TigersHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1997 ND (W)Detroit TigersHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome1998LToronto Blue JaysSkyDome1999 WToronto Blue JaysHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2000 LTampa Bay Devil RaysHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2001 WDetroit TigersComerica Park2002* ND (W)Kansas City RoyalsKauffman Stadium2003* WDetroit TigersComerica Park2004* ND (W)Cleveland IndiansHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2005 LSeattle MarinersSafeco Field2006*LToronto Blue JaysRogers Centre2007 WBaltimore OriolesHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2008WLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2009*LSeattle MarinersHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2010*LLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimAngel Stadium of Anaheim2011LToronto Blue JaysRogers Centre2012 LBaltimore OriolesOriole Park at Camden Yards2013 LDetroit TigersTarget Field2014 LChicago White SoxU.S. Cellular Field2015 LDetroit TigersComerica Park 2016 ND (L)Baltimore OriolesCamden Yards2017* WKansas City RoyalsTarget Field2018 ND (L)Baltimore OriolesCamden Yards2019* WCleveland IndiansTarget Field2020* ND (W)Chicago White SoxGuaranteed Rate Field2021ND (L)Milwaukee BrewersAmerican Family Field2022LSeattle MarinersTarget Field2023* W Kansas City RoyalsKauffman Stadium2024 W Kansas City RoyalsKauffman Stadium2025 L St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium2026 ND (L)Baltimore OriolesOriole Park at Camden Yards
References