List of Texas Rangers Opening Day starting pitchers


The Texas Rangers are a Major League Baseball team based in Arlington, Texas. They play in the American League West division. From 1961 to 1971, the team played in Washington, D.C., as the Washington Senators, one of three different major league teams to use the name. The franchise relocated to Arlington as the Rangers in 1972. The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starting pitcher is an honor which is 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 Rangers have used 37 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 60 seasons.
The Senators' first Opening Day game was played against the Chicago White Sox at Griffith Stadium in Washington, on April 10, 1961. Dick Donovan was their starting pitcher that day; he took the decision in a game the Senators lost, 4–3. In 1962, the team moved to District of Columbia Stadium. Opening Day starter Bennie Daniels earned the win in a 4–1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on April 9. Through their 11 years in Washington, the Senators started every Opening Day game at home. Their final Opening Day game in Washington was an 8–0 win over the Oakland Athletics on April 5, 1971, with starter Dick Bosman being credited with the win.
The team moved to Texas in 1972, and played their home games at Arlington Stadium. Their 1972 season opener was played on the road, but they played their first Opening Day game in Arlington on April 7, 1973, with Bosman taking the loss in a 3–1 loss to the White Sox. The Rangers' final Opening Day at Arlington Stadium occurred on April 8, 1991, when starter Nolan Ryan was handed the loss by the Milwaukee Brewers, 5–4. They moved into the The Ballpark in Arlington in 1994, but did not host their first Opening Day at new facility until 1996. In the game, starting pitcher Ken Hill got the win in a 5–3 defeat of the Boston Red Sox. The stadium was subsequently renamed Ameriquest Field in Arlington, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, and Globe Life Park in Arlington. Starter Mike Minor took the loss in Globe Life Park's final Opening Day game against the Chicago Cubs on March 28, 2019, a 12–4 loss. The Rangers played their first Opening Day game at their current ballpark, Globe Life Field, on July 24, 2020. Earning the win was starter Lance Lynn, as Texas beat the Colorado Rockies, 1–0.
The Rangers' Opening Day starting pitchers have a combined Opening Day record of 20 wins, 30 losses and 10 no decisions. In Washington, they had a record of 2 wins and 9 losses in 11 Opening Day starts. In Texas, they have 18 wins, 21 losses, and 10 no decisions in 49 Opening Day starts. They have an aggregate record of 15 wins, 19 losses, and 6 no decisions in 40 Opening Day starts at home. Texas starters have a record of 5 wins, 11 losses, and 4 no decisions in 20 Opening Day starts on the road.
Charlie Hough has the most Opening Day starts for the Rangers, with six, followed by Dick Bosman and Kevin Millwood ; Jon Matlack, Kenny Rogers, and Nolan Ryan ; and Cole Hamels, Rick Helling, Ken Hill, Ferguson Jenkins, Camilo Pascual, and Pete Richert. Bosman and Millwood made four consecutive Opening Day starts. Hough and Ryan made three consecutive starts, while Hill, Hough, Matlack, Pascual, and Richert made back-to-back starts.
Three Texas Rangers Opening Day pitchers—Ferguson Jenkins, Gaylord Perry, and Nolan Ryan—have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Table key

SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Senators/Rangers season.
Pitcher Number indicates multiple appearances as a Rangers Opening Day starter
Score Game score with Rangers runs listed first; number of innings in a game that was shorter or longer than 9 innings in parentheses
LocationStadium in italics denotes a Rangers home game
WWin
LLoss
ND No decision by starting pitcher; Rangers won game
ND No decision by starting pitcher; Rangers lost game
*Advanced to the postseason
**Won the American League Championship Series

Opening Day results

SeasonPitcherDecisionScoreOpponentLocationAttendance
1961LChicago White SoxGriffith Stadium26,725
1962WDetroit TigersDistrict of Columbia Stadium44,383
1963LBaltimore OriolesDistrict of Columbia Stadium43,022
1964LLos Angeles AngelsDistrict of Columbia Stadium40,145
1965LBoston Red SoxDistrict of Columbia Stadium43,554
1966LCleveland IndiansDistrict of Columbia Stadium44,468
1967 LNew York YankeesDistrict of Columbia Stadium44,382
1968LMinnesota TwinsDistrict of Columbia Stadium32,063
1969 LNew York YankeesRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium45,113
1970LDetroit TigersRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium45,015
1971 WOakland AthleticsRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium45,061
1972 LCalifornia AngelsAnaheim Stadium13,916
1973 LChicago White SoxArlington Stadium22,114
1974LOakland AthleticsArlington Stadium21,907
1975LMinnesota TwinsArlington Stadium28,787
1976WMinnesota TwinsArlington Stadium28,947
1977WBaltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium31,307
1978WNew York YankeesArlington Stadium40,078
1979 WDetroit TigersTiger Stadium43,708
1980 ND New York YankeesArlington Stadium33,196
1981 LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium55,123
1982WCleveland IndiansCleveland Stadium62,443
1983ND Chicago White SoxArlington Stadium13,140
1984 LCleveland IndiansArlington Stadium21,537
1985 ND Baltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium50,402
1986WToronto Blue JaysArlington Stadium40,602
1987 ND Baltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium51,650
1988 WCleveland IndiansArlington Stadium37,613
1989 WDetroit TigersArlington Stadium40,375
1990WToronto Blue JaysArlington Stadium40,907
1991 LMilwaukee BrewersArlington Stadium40,560
1992 ND Seattle MarinersKingdome55,918
1993WBaltimore OriolesOriole Park at Camden Yards46,145
1994LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium56,706
1995LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium50,525
1996*WBoston Red SoxThe Ballpark in Arlington40,484
1997 WMilwaukee BrewersThe Ballpark in Arlington45,098
1998*LChicago White SoxThe Ballpark in Arlington45,909
1999*LDetroit TigersThe Ballpark in Arlington46,650
2000 WChicago White SoxThe Ballpark in Arlington49,332
2001 LToronto Blue JaysHiram Bithorn Stadium19,891
2002LOakland AthleticsNetwork Associates Coliseum43,908
2003WAnaheim AngelsAngel Stadium of Anaheim43,525
2004 ND Oakland AthleticsNetwork Associates Coliseum45,122
2005LLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimAngel Stadium of Anaheim43,590
2006LBoston Red SoxAmeriquest Field in Arlington51,541
2007 LLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimAngel Stadium of Anaheim43,906
2008 LSeattle MarinersSafeco Field46,334
2009 WCleveland IndiansRangers Ballpark in Arlington49,916
2010**ND Toronto Blue JaysRangers Ballpark in Arlington50,299
2011**ND Boston Red SoxRangers Ballpark in Arlington50,146
2012*WChicago White SoxRangers Ballpark in Arlington49,085
2013LHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park41,307
2014ND Philadelphia PhilliesGlobe Life Park in Arlington49,031
2015*LOakland AthleticsO.co Coliseum36,067
2016*WSeattle MarinersGlobe Life Park in Arlington49,289
2017ND Cleveland IndiansGlobe Life Park in Arlington48,350
2018 LHouston AstrosGlobe Life Park in Arlington47,253
2019LChicago CubsGlobe Life Park in Arlington48,538
2020WColorado RockiesGlobe Life Field0

Pitchers

Opening Day starting pitchers are listed in descending order by the number of Opening Day starts for the Senators/Rangers.
PitcherStartsWinsLossesNo decisionsWin %Season
63120.7501982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989
41300.2501970, 1971, 1972, 1973
41300.2502006, 2007, 2008
31110.5001978, 1980, 1981
31110.5001995, 2000, 2004
31110.5001990, 1991, 1992
22001.0001996, 1997
21100.5002016, 2018
21100.5001975, 1979
20200.0001999, 2001
20200.0001968, 1969
20200.0001966, 1967
11001.0001977
11001.0001962
11001.0001986
11001.0001993
11001.0002012
11001.0002020
11001.0001976
11001.0002003
10100.0001974
10100.0001994
10100.0001997
10010.0002017
10100.0002005
10100.0001961
10010.0002010
10100.0002015
10100.0002013
10100.0002019
10100.0001965
10100.0001964
10100.0002002
10100.0001963
10010.0002014
10010.0001983
10010.0002011