List of St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day starting pitchers

The St. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri. They play in the National League Central 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. As of 2008, The Cardinals have used 71 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 128 seasons. Since the franchise's beginning in , the starters have a combined Opening Day record of 70 wins, 57 losses (70–57), and 22 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. Although in modern baseball, ties are rare due to extra innings.

Bob Gibson holds the Cardinals record for most Opening Day starts with ten.Stats

Key SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Cardinals season.WWinLLossTTieND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Cardinals won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Cardinals lost gamePitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Cardinals (W)Cardinals won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision(L)Cardinals lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decisionAA Champions*Advanced to the post-season**NL Champions***World Series Champions

Pitchers

SeasonPitcherDecisionOpponentLocationRef(s)1882(W)Louisville EclipseSportsman's Park1883 (L)Cincinnati Red StockingsBank Street Grounds1884(W)Indianapolis HoosiersSportsman's Park1885(L)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1886(W)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1887 (L)Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park1888(W)Louisville ColonelsSportsman's Park1889 (W)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park (CIN)1890(W)Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park1891(T)Cincinnati Kelly's KillersEast End Park1892(L)Chicago ColtsSportsman's Park1893(W)Louisville ColonelsNew Sportsman's Park1894(W)Pittsburgh PiratesNew Sportsman's Park1895 (L)Chicago ColtsNew Sportsman's Park1896 (W)Cleveland SpidersNew Sportsman's Park1897(L)Pittsburgh PiratesNew Sportsman's Park1898(L)Chicago OrphansNew Sportsman's Park1899(W)Cleveland SpidersLeague Park1900 (W)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1901(L)Chicago OrphansLeague Park1902(L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1903(W)Chicago CubsLeague Park1904(L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1905(L)Chicago CubsLeague Park1906 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1907(L)Chicago CubsWest Side Park1908(L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1909 (L)Chicago CubsWest Side Park1910(L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1911TChicago CubsWest Side Park1912(W)Pittsburgh PiratesRobison Field1913(W)Chicago CubsWest Side Park1914 (W)Pittsburgh PiratesRobison Field1915 (L)Chicago CubsWest Side Park1916(W)Pittsburgh PiratesRobison Field1917(L)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field1918 (W)Chicago CubsCardinal Field1919(L)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field1920 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesCardinal Field1921LChicago CubsCubs Park1922WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1923ND (L)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field1924ND (W)Chicago CubsSportsman's Park1925 LCincinnati RedsRedland Field1926***WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1927(L)Chicago CubsWrigley Field1928** (W)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1929 (W)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field1930** (L)Chicago CubsSportsman's Park1931*** (W)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field1932 (W)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1933(L)Chicago CubsWrigley Field1934*** (W)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1935 (L)Chicago CubsWrigley Field1936 (L)Chicago CubsSportsman's Park1937 WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1938(L)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1939 WPittsburgh PiratesForbes Field1940(L)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1941WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1942***(L)Chicago CubsSportsman's Park1943** (L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1944***WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1945(L)Chicago CubsWrigley Field1946***(L)Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1947(L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1948WCincinnati RedsSportsman's Park1949(L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field1950WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1951(L)Pittsburgh PiratesForbes Field1952 WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park1953 LMilwaukee BravesMilwaukee County Stadium1954LChicago CubsBusch Stadium1955LChicago CubsWrigley Field1956WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1957WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1958 LChicago CubsSportsman's Park1959ND (L)San Francisco GiantsSportsman's Park1960 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park1961ND (W)Milwaukee Braves Milwaukee County Stadium1962 WNew York MetsSportsman's Park1963 WNew York MetsPolo Grounds1964*** LLos Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium1965TChicago CubsWrigley Field1966ND (L)Philadelphia PhilliesSportsman's Park1967*** WSan Francisco GiantsBusch Memorial Stadium1968** ND (W)Atlanta BravesBusch Memorial Stadium1969 ND (L)Pittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium1970 WMontreal ExposJarry Park Stadium1971 LChicago CubsWrigley Field1972 ND (L)Montreal ExposBusch Memorial Stadium1973 ND (L)Pittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium1974 ND (W)Pittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium1975 LMontreal ExposBusch Memorial Stadium1976WChicago CubsBusch Memorial Stadium1977WPittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium1978WPhiladelphia PhilliesVeterans Stadium1979 WPhiladelphia PhilliesBusch Memorial Stadium1980WPittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium1981 LPhiladelphia PhilliesBusch Memorial Stadium1982*** WHouston AstrosHouston Astrodome1983 LPittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium1984LLos Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium1985** ND (L)New York MetsShea Stadium1986WChicago CubsBusch Memorial Stadium1987** WChicago CubsWrigley Field1988*ND (L)Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1989 LNew York MetsShea Stadium1990 ND (W)Montreal ExposBusch Memorial Stadium1991WChicago CubsWrigley Field1992ND (L)New York MetsBusch Memorial Stadium1993LSan Francisco GiantsBusch Memorial Stadium1994 WCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1995 ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesBusch Memorial Stadium1996*ND (L)New York MetsShea Stadium1997ND (L)Montreal ExposOlympic Stadium1998 W Los Angeles Dodgers Busch Memorial Stadium1999ND (L)Milwaukee BrewersBusch Memorial Stadium2000*WChicago CubsBusch Memorial Stadium2001* LColorado RockiesCoors Field2002*Matt MorrisWColorado RockiesBusch Memorial Stadium2003Matt Morris ND (W)Milwaukee BrewersBusch Memorial Stadium2004**Matt Morris ND (L)Milwaukee BrewersBusch Memorial Stadium2005*WHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park2006*** WPhiladelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park2007 LNew York MetsBusch Stadium2008ND (L)Colorado RockiesBusch Stadium2009*ND (L)Pittsburgh PiratesBusch Stadium 2010 WCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2011*** ND (L)San Diego PadresBusch Stadium2012* WMiami MarlinsMarlins Park2013** LArizona DiamondbacksChase Field2014* WCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2015* WChicago CubsWrigley Field2016 LPittsburgh PiratesPNC Park2017ND (W)Chicago CubsBusch Stadium2018 LNew York MetsCiti Field2019*LMilwaukee BrewersMiller Park2020* W Pittsburgh Pirates Busch Stadium2021* ND (W) Cincinnati Reds Great American Ballpark2022* WPittsburgh PiratesBusch Stadium2023 ND (L)Toronto Blue JaysBusch Stadium2024 LLos Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium2025WMinnesota TwinsBusch Stadium2026ND (W)Tampa Bay RaysBusch Stadium

References

External links St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day Starters and Results - Baseball-Reference.com