List of Boston Red Sox Opening Day starting pitchers
The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Boston, Massachusetts. They have played in the American League since it was founded in, and the American League East since divisions were introduced in. The first game of each baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, for which being named the starting pitcher is an honor. That honor is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season, although there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.
Records
Including the result of the team's first game, the team has had 120 Opening Days. In those Opening Day games:- The team has used 64 different starting pitchers.
- * Roger Clemens holds the team record for most starts with eight. Other pitchers with four or more starts are Pedro Martínez, Cy Young, Dennis Eckersley, Jon Lester, Bill Monbouquette, and Mel Parnell.
- The team has a win–loss record of 59–60–1, which is a winning percentage of.
- * The one tie occurred in ; playing against the New York Highlanders at Hilltop Park in New York City, the game was declared a tie after 14 innings on account of darkness. The first MLB night game would not occur until.
- Starting pitchers have compiled a win–loss record of 48–43, with 29 no decisions.
- * The most wins is three, by Roger Clemens, Wes Ferrell, Pedro Martínez, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young. The most losses is three, by Howard Ehmke and Cy Young. The most no decisions is three, by Clemens and Martínez.
Results by decade
| Decade | Team W–L–T | Pitchers' W–L | New starters |
| 1900s | 4–5 | 4–5 | 4 |
| 1910s | 5–4–1 | 5–4 | 6 |
| 1920s | 3–7 | 3–6 | 8 |
| 1930s | 5–5 | 4–4 | 6 |
| 1940s | 6–4 | 4–4 | 6 |
| 1950s | 5–5 | 4–4 | 4 |
| 1960s | 5–5 | 3–4 | 6 |
| 1970s | 6–4 | 5–2 | 7 |
| 1980s | 2–8 | 2–3 | 4 |
| 1990s | 8–2 | 6–2 | 3 |
| 2000s | 4–6 | 3–3 | 4 |
| 2010s | 5–5 | 4–2 | 5 |
| 2020s | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1 |
| TOTALS | 59–60–1 | 48–43 | 64 |
1900s spans nine seasons, as 1901 was the team's first season.
Number of pitchers making their first Opening Day start for the Red Sox franchise.
Pitchers
Key
List
| Season | Pitcher | W/L | Opponent | Location | Ref |
| 1901 | L | Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park | ||
| 1902 | W | Baltimore Orioles | Huntington Avenue Grounds | ||
| 1903*** | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Huntington Avenue Grounds | ||
| 1904** | L | New York Highlanders | Hilltop Park | ||
| 1905 | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Columbia Park | ||
| 1906 | L | New York Highlanders | Hilltop Park | ||
| 1907 | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Columbia Park | ||
| 1908 | W | Washington Senators | Huntington Avenue Grounds | ||
| 1909 | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1910 | ND | New York Highlanders | Hilltop Park | ||
| 1911 | L | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1912*** | W | New York Highlanders | Hilltop Park | ||
| 1913 | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1914 | L | Washington Senators | Fenway Park | ||
| 1915*** | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1916*** | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1917 | W | New York Yankees | Polo Grounds | ||
| 1918*** | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1919 | W | New York Yankees | Polo Grounds | ||
| 1920 | W | Washington Senators | Fenway Park | ||
| 1921 | W | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1922 | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1923 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1924 | L | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1925 | ND | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1926 | L | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1927 | L | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1928 | W | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1929 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1930 | ND | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1931 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1932 | L | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1933 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1934 | ND | Washington Senators | Fenway Park | ||
| 1935 | W | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1936 | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1937 | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1938 | W | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1939 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1940 | W | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1941 | ND | Washington Senators | Fenway Park | ||
| 1942 | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1943 | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1944 | L | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1945 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1946** | W | Washington Senators | Griffith Park | ||
| 1947 | ND | Washington Senators | Fenway Park | ||
| 1948 | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1949 | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1950 | ND | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1951 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1952 | W | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1953 | ND | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1954 | L | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1955 | W | Philadelphia Athletics | Shibe Park | ||
| 1956 | W | Baltimore Orioles | Fenway Park | ||
| 1957 | W | Baltimore Orioles | Memorial Stadium | ||
| 1958 | L | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1959 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1960 | L | Washington Senators | Griffith Stadium | ||
| 1961 | L | Kansas City Athletics | Fenway Park | ||
| 1962 | L | Cleveland Indians | Fenway Park | ||
| 1963 | L | Los Angeles Angels | Chavez Ravine | ||
| 1964 | ND | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1965 | W | Washington Senators | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | ||
| 1966 | ND | Baltimore Orioles | Fenway Park | ||
| 1967** | W | Chicago White Sox | Fenway Park | ||
| 1968 | W | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium | ||
| 1969 | ND | Baltimore Orioles | Memorial Stadium | ||
| 1970 | W | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1971 | W | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1972 | L | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium | ||
| 1973 | W | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1974 | ND | Milwaukee Brewers | County Stadium | ||
| 1975** | W | Milwaukee Brewers | Fenway Park | ||
| 1976 | L | Baltimore Orioles | Memorial Stadium | ||
| 1977 | ND | Cleveland Indians | Fenway Park | ||
| 1978 | ND | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park | ||
| 1979 | W | Cleveland Indians | Fenway Park | ||
| 1980 | ND | Milwaukee Brewers | County Stadium | ||
| 1981 | ND | Chicago White Sox | Fenway Park | ||
| 1982 | W | Baltimore Orioles | Memorial Stadium | ||
| 1983 | L | Toronto Blue Jays | Fenway Park | ||
| 1984 | L | California Angels | Angel Stadium of Anaheim | ||
| 1985 | W | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 1986** | ND | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium | ||
| 1987 | L | Milwaukee Brewers | County Stadium | ||
| 1988* | ND | Detroit Tigers | Fenway Park | ||
| 1989 | ND | Baltimore Orioles | Memorial Stadium | ||
| 1990* | W | Detroit Tigers | Fenway Park | ||
| 1991 | W | Toronto Blue Jays | SkyDome | ||
| 1992 | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 1993 | W | Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium | ||
| 1994 | ND | Detroit Tigers | Fenway Park | ||
| 1995* | W | Minnesota Twins | Fenway Park | ||
| 1996 | L | Texas Rangers | Rangers Ballpark in Arlington | ||
| 1997 | ND | Anaheim Angels | Angel Stadium of Anaheim | ||
| 1998* | W | Oakland Athletics | Network Associates Coliseum | ||
| 1999* | W | Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium | ||
| 2000 | W | Seattle Mariners | Safeco Field | ||
| 2001 | ND | Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | ||
| 2002 | ND | Toronto Blue Jays | Fenway Park | ||
| 2003* | ND | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Tropicana Field | ||
| 2004*** | L | Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | ||
| 2005* | L | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 2006 | W | Texas Rangers | Rangers Ballpark in Arlington | ||
| 2007*** | L | Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium | ||
| 2008* | ND | Oakland Athletics | Tokyo Dome | ||
| 2009* | W | Tampa Bay Rays | Fenway Park | ||
| 2010 | ND | New York Yankees | Fenway Park | ||
| 2011 | ND | Texas Rangers | Rangers Ballpark in Arlington | ||
| 2012 | ND | Detroit Tigers | Comerica Park | ||
| 2013*** | W | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | ||
| 2014 | L | Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | ||
| 2015 | W | Philadelphia Phillies | Citizens Bank Park | ||
| 2016* | W | Cleveland Indians | Progressive Field | ||
| 2017* | W | Pittsburgh Pirates | Fenway Park | ||
| 2018*** | Chris Sale | ND | Tampa Bay Rays | Tropicana Field | |
| 2019 | Chris Sale | L | Seattle Mariners | T-Mobile Park | |
| 2020 | Nathan Eovaldi | W | Baltimore Orioles | Fenway Park |