The Montreal Expos were a former Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 to 2004. The team relocated to Washington, D.C. after the season and became the Washington Nationals. 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 honour, 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 Expos used 19 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 36 seasons. The 19 starters had a combined Opening Day record of 9 wins, 15 losses (9–15) and 12 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, or if the starting pitcher does not pitch at least five innings with the lead. The overall Opening Day franchise record is 12–24.

Steve Rogers holds the team record for most Opening Day starts with nine, and has an Opening Day record of 2–4, with three no-decisions. All of Rogers's Opening Day starts were on the road. Liván Hernández is the only pitcher to have made Opening Day starts for both the Expos (in 2004) and Nationals (2005, 2006, and 2011).

For their first 19 Opening Day games, early season cold weather kept the Expos on the road. In 1988, the availability of Olympic Stadium and its retractable roof allowed the team to have its first Opening Day home game, in which Dennis Martínez was the starting pitcher. The Expos never played on Opening Day in Jarry Park Stadium, their home from 1969 to 1976. Olympic Stadium, their home from 1977 to 2004, hosted six Opening Day games; five Expos starters accumulated a record of 0–3 (and three no-decisions).

The franchise's only playoff experience was in the strike-shortened season. In a special format created for that season, the Expos were the second-half champion, with a 30–23 record. The team won the NL Division Series to become Eastern Division champions, winning three games to two over Philadelphia Phillies who had been the first-half champion with a 34–21 record.Durso, Joseph. "EXPOS OUST PHILLIES, 3-0", The New York Times, October 12, 1981. Accessed October 8, 2008. In 1981, Opening Day pitcher Steve Rogers faced Phillies ace Steve Carlton and won the first game of the series by a score of 3–1.1981 NL Division Series, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 8, 2008. The Expos then lost the NL Championship Series to the first-half Western Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers three games to two on a ninth-inning home run in Game 5 by Rick Monday.1981 Montreal Expos, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 8, 2008.

Key

SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Expos season.WWinLLossND (W)No decision for starter; Expos won gameND (L)No decision for starter; Expos lost gameFinalScoreGame score with Expos runs listed firstLocationStadium in bold for home gamePitcher (#)Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Expos*Advanced to the NLCS

Pitchers

SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationAttendanceRef(s)Washington Nationals Opening Day Starters and Results, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1969 ND (W) New York Mets Shea Stadium 44,541 Apr 8, 1969, Expos at Mets Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1970 L Cincinnati Reds Crosley Field 30,124 Apr 6, 1970, Expos at Reds Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1971 L New York Mets Shea Stadium 26,062 Apr 6, 1971, Expos at Mets Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1972 W St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium 7,808 Apr 15, 1972, Expos at Cardinals Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1973 L Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field 40,273 Apr 6, 1973, Expos at Cubs Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1974 ND (W) Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium 40,434 Apr 10, 1974, Expos at Pirates Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1975 W St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium 31,769 Apr 7, 1975, Expos at Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1976 L New York Mets Shea Stadium 17,013 Apr 9, 1976, Expos at Mets Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1977 (2) ND (W) Philadelphia Phillies Veterans Stadium 43,367 Apr 9, 1977, Expos at Phillies Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1978 (3) L New York Mets Shea Stadium 11,376 Apr 7, 1978, Expos at Mets Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1979 (4) ND (W) (10 innings) Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium 36,141 Apr 6, 1979, Expos at Pirates Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1980 (5) L Philadelphia Phillies Veterans Stadium 48,460 Apr 11, 1980, Expos at Phillies Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008. 1981* (6) ND (W) Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium 40,332 Apr 9, 1981, Expos at Pirates Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1982 (7) W Philadelphia Phillies Veterans Stadium 7,795 Apr 9, 1982, Expos at Phillies Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1983 (8) W Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field 4,802 Apr 6, 1983, Expos at Cubs Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1984 W Houston Astros Astrodome 28,105 Apr 3, 1984, Expos at Astros Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1985 (9) L Cincinnati Reds Cinergy Field 52,971 Apr 8, 1985, Expos at Reds Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1986 L Atlanta Braves Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 37,858 Apr 8, 1986, Expos at Braves Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1987 L Cincinnati Reds Cinergy Field 55,166 Apr 6, 1987, Expos at Reds Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1988 L New York Mets Olympic Stadium 55,413 Durso, Joseph. "Unlike '87, Gooden Will Open Season", The New York Times, April 4, 1988. Accessed October 7, 2008. "Because of the cold spring weather, the Expos have customarily spent the first couple of weeks of the season on the road ever since they joined the National League 19 years ago. But Olympic Stadium now has its retractable fabric roof in place, and the Expos at last have the luxury of opening at home."Apr 4, 1988, Mets at Expos Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1989 (2) ND (W) Pittsburgh Pirates Olympic Stadium 35,154 Apr 4, 1989, Pirates at Expos Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1990 (3) ND (L) (11 innings) St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium 48,752 Apr 9, 1990, Expos at Cardinals Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1991 (4) W Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium 54,274 Apr 8, 1991, Expos at Pirates Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1992 (5) L Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium 48,800 Apr 6, 1992, Expos at Pirates Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1993 (6) L Cincinnati Reds Cinergy Field 55,456 Apr 5, 1993, Expos at Reds Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1994 ND (L) (12 innings) Houston Astros Astrodome 43,440 Apr 4, 1994, Expos at Astros Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1995 (2) W Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium 34,841 Apr 26, 1995, Expos at Pirates Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1996 (3) L Cincinnati Reds Cinergy Field 53,136 Apr 2, 1996, Expos at Reds Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1997 ND (W) St. Louis Cardinals Olympic Stadium 33,437 Apr 1, 1997, Cardinals at Expos Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1998 L Pittsburgh Pirates Olympic Stadium 31,200 Apr 1, 1998, Pirates at Expos Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.1999 W Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium 43,405 Apr 5, 1999, Expos at Pirates Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.2000 L Los Angeles Dodgers Olympic Stadium 51,249 Apr 3, 2000, Dodgers at Expos Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.2001 ND (W) Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field 38,466 Apr 2, 2001, Expos at Cubs Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.2002 (2) ND (W) Florida Marlins Olympic Stadium 34,351 Apr 2, 2002, Marlins at Expos Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.2003 W Atlanta Braves Turner Field 40,258 Mar 31, 2003, Expos at Braves Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.2004 ND (L) Florida Marlins Dolphin Stadium 55,315 Apr 6, 2004, Expos at Marlins Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008. The scheduled Opening Day starter for April 1, 1996, was Pedro Martínez. Due to the death of umpire John McSherry, the game was postponed. Jeff Fassero then started the April 2 makeup game.

References