The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Cincinnati who play in the National League's Central Division. In their history, the franchise also played under the names Cincinnati Red Stockings and Cincinnati Redlegs. They played in the American Association from 1882 through 1889, and have played in the National League since 1890. 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 that 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 Reds have used 76 Opening Day starting pitchers since they began play as a Major League team in 1882.
The Reds have played in several different home ball parks. They played two seasons in their first home ball park, Bank Street Grounds, and had one win and one loss in Opening Day games there. The team had a record of six wins and ten losses in Opening Day games at League Park, and a record of three wins and seven losses in Opening Day games at the Palace of the Fans. The Reds played in Crosley Field from 1912 through the middle of the 1970 season, and had a record of 27 wins and 31 losses in Opening Day games there. They had an Opening Day record of 19 wins, 11 losses and 1 tie from 1971 through 2002 at Riverfront Stadium, and they have a record of three wins and six losses in Opening Day games at their current home ball park, the Great American Ball Park. That gives the Reds an overall Opening Day record of 59 wins, 66 losses and one tie at home. They have a record of three wins and one loss in Opening Day games on the road.
Mario Soto holds the Reds' record for most Opening Day starts, with six. Tony Mullane, Pete Donohue and Aaron Harang have each made five Opening Day starts for the Reds. José Rijo and Johnny Cueto have each made four Opening Day starts for Cincinnati, while Ewell Blackwell, Tom Browning, Paul Derringer, Art Fromme, Si Johnson, Gary Nolan, Jim O'Toole, Tom Seaver, Bucky Walters and Will White each made three such starts for the Reds. Harang was the Reds' Opening Day starting pitcher every season from 2006 to 2010. Among the Reds' Opening Day starting pitchers, Seaver and Eppa Rixey have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Reds have won the World Series championship five times, in 1919, 1940, 1975, 1976 and 1990. Dutch Ruether was the Reds' Opening Day starting pitcher in 1919, Derringer in 1940, Don Gullett in 1975, Nolan in 1976 and Browning in 1990. The Reds won all five Opening Day games in seasons in which they won the World Series. In addition, prior to the existence of the modern World Series, the Reds won the American Association championship in 1882. White was their Opening Day starting pitcher that season, the franchise's first. Jack Billingham started one of the most famous Opening Day games in Reds history on April 4, 1974, against the Atlanta Braves. In that game, Billingham surrendered Hank Aaron's 714th career home run, which tied Babe Ruth's all time home run record.
Key SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Reds season.WWinLLossTTie gameND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Reds won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Reds lost game(W)Reds won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision(L)Reds lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decisionFinal scoreGame score with Reds runs listed firstLocationStadium in italics for home gameNumber of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Reds*Advanced to the post-season***American Association Champions**National League Champions⁂World Series Champions
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1882***(L)Pittsburgh PiratesBank Street Grounds1883 (W)St. Louis BrownsBank Street Grounds1884 (L)Columbus BuckeyesLeague Park1885(W)Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park1886(L)Louisville ColonelsLeague Park1887(W)Cleveland SpidersLeague Park1888 (W)Kansas City CowboysAssociation Park1889 (L)St. Louis BrownsLeague Park1890(L)Chicago CubsLeague Park1891 (L)Cleveland SpidersLeague Park1892 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1893(W)Chicago CubsLeague Park1894(W)Chicago CubsLeague Park1895(W)Cleveland SpidersLeague Park1896(L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1897(W)Chicago CubsLeague Park1898(W)Cleveland SpidersLeague Park1899(L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1900(L)Chicago CubsLeague Park1901(L)Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park1902(L)Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans1903(L)Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans1904(W)Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans1905 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans1906(L)Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans1907(W)Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans1908 (L)Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans1909(L)Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans1910(W)Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans1911 LPittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans1912(W)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1913 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1914(W)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1915(L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1916(L)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1917(W)St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1918 (W)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1919⁂(W)St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1920 WChicago CubsCrosley Field1921WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1922LChicago CubsCrosley Field1923WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1924 ND (W)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1925 WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1926 ND (W)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1927 LPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1928 WChicago CubsCrosley Field1929LSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1930 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1931(L)St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1932ND (W)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1933 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1934 (L)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1935(L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1936(L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1937(L)St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1938(L)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1939**(L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1940⁂ WChicago CubsCrosley Field1941 (L)St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1942(L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1943 WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1944 (L)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1945 ND (W)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1946(L)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1947WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1948 WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1949WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1950 (L)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1951 (L)Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1952(L)Chicago CubsCrosley Field1953LMilwaukee BravesCrosley Field1954 ND (W)Milwaukee BravesCrosley Field1955LChicago CubsCrosley Field1956LSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1957LSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field1958ND (L)Philadelphia PhilliesCrosley Field1959WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1960ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesCrosley Field1961**WChicago CubsCrosley Field1962LPhiladelphia PhilliesCrosley Field1963 WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field1964LHouston Colt .45sCrosley Field1965 LMilwaukee BravesCrosley Field1966ND (L)Philadelphia PhilliesShibe Park1967 WLos Angeles DodgersCrosley Field1968WChicago CubsCrosley Field1969LLos Angeles DodgersCrosley Field1970**WMontreal ExposCrosley Field1971 ND (L)Atlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium1972**LLos Angeles DodgersRiverfront Stadium1973*LSan Francisco GiantsRiverfront Stadium1974 ND (W)Atlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium1975⁂ ND (W)Los Angeles DodgersRiverfront Stadium1976⁂ WHouston AstrosRiverfront Stadium1977WSan Diego PadresRiverfront Stadium1978ND (W)Houston AstrosRiverfront Stadium1979* LSan Francisco GiantsRiverfront Stadium1980WAtlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium1981 ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesRiverfront Stadium1982LChicago CubsRiverfront Stadium1983 WAtlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium1984 WNew York MetsRiverfront Stadium1985 WMontreal ExposRiverfront Stadium1986 WPhiladelphia PhilliesRiverfront Stadium1987ND (W)Montreal ExposRiverfront Stadium1988 ND (W)St. Louis CardinalsRiverfront Stadium1989WLos Angeles DodgersRiverfront Stadium1990⁂ ND (W)Houston AstrosAstrodome1991 WHouston AstrosRiverfront Stadium1992LSan Diego PadresRiverfront Stadium1993 WMontreal ExposRiverfront Stadium1994 LSt. Louis CardinalsRiverfront Stadium1995* LChicago CubsRiverfront Stadium1996WMontreal ExposCinergy Field1997WColorado RockiesCinergy Field1998LSan Diego PadresCinergy Field1999ND (L)San Francisco GiantsCinergy Field2000TMilwaukee BrewersCinergy Field2001 ND (L)Atlanta BravesCinergy Field2002ND (W)Chicago CubsCinergy Field2003LPittsburgh PiratesGreat American Ball Park2004LChicago CubsGreat American Ball Park2005ND (W)New York MetsGreat American Ball Park2006LChicago CubsGreat American Ball Park2007 WChicago CubsGreat American Ball Park2008 LArizona DiamondbacksGreat American Ball Park2009 LNew York MetsGreat American Ball Park2010* LSt. Louis CardinalsGreat American Ball Park2011ND (W)Milwaukee BrewersGreat American Ball Park2012*W Miami Marlins Great American Ball Park2013* ND (L) Los Angeles Angels Great American Ball Park2014 LSt. Louis CardinalsGreat American Ball Park2015 ND (W)Pittsburgh PiratesGreat American Ball Park2016 ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesGreat American Ball Park2017 LPhiladelphia PhilliesGreat American Ball Park2018 LWashington NationalsGreat American Ball Park2019 ND (W)Pittsburgh PiratesGreat American Ball Park2020*WDetroit TigersGreat American Ball Park2021 LSt. Louis CardinalsGreat American Ball Park2022WAtlanta BravesTruist Park2023ND (L)Pittsburgh PiratesGreat American Ball Park2024WWashington NationalsGreat American Ball Park2025 ND (L)San Francisco GiantsGreat American Ball Park2026ND (L)Boston Red SoxGreat American Ball Park
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