List of Cincinnati Reds Opening Day starting pitchers


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 2006–2010. 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

Pitchers

SeasonPitcherDecisionFinal
score		OpponentLocationRef
1882***Pittsburgh PiratesBank Street Grounds
1883 St. Louis BrownsBank Street Grounds
1884 Columbus BuckeyesLeague Park
1885Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park
1886Louisville ColonelsLeague Park
1887Cleveland SpidersLeague Park
1888 Kansas City CowboysAssociation Park
1889 St. Louis BrownsLeague Park
1890Chicago CubsLeague Park
1891 Cleveland SpidersLeague Park
1892 Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1893Chicago CubsLeague Park
1894Chicago CubsLeague Park
1895Cleveland SpidersLeague Park
1896Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1897Chicago CubsLeague Park
1898Cleveland SpidersLeague Park
1899Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1900Chicago CubsLeague Park
1901Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1902Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans
1903Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans
1904Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans
1905 Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans
1906Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans
1907Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans
1908 Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans
1909Pittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans
1910Chicago CubsPalace of the Fans
1911 LPittsburgh PiratesPalace of the Fans
1912Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1913 Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1914Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1915Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1916Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1917St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1918 Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1919St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1920 WChicago CubsCrosley Field
1921WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1922LChicago CubsCrosley Field
1923WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1924 ND Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1925 WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1926 ND Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1927 LPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1928 WChicago CubsCrosley Field
1929LSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1930 Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1931St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1932ND Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1933 Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1934 Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1935Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1936Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1937St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1938Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1939**Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1940 WChicago CubsCrosley Field
1941 St. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1942Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1943 WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1944 Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1945 ND Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1946Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1947WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1948 WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1949WSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1950 Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1951 Pittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1952Chicago CubsCrosley Field
1953LMilwaukee BravesCrosley Field
1954 ND Milwaukee BravesCrosley Field
1955LChicago CubsCrosley Field
1956LSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1957LSt. Louis CardinalsCrosley Field
1958ND Philadelphia PhilliesCrosley Field
1959WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1960ND Philadelphia PhilliesCrosley Field
1961**WChicago CubsCrosley Field
1962LPhiladelphia PhilliesCrosley Field
1963 WPittsburgh PiratesCrosley Field
1964LHouston Colt.45sCrosley Field
1965 LMilwaukee BravesCrosley Field
1966ND Philadelphia PhilliesShibe Park
1967 WLos Angeles DodgersCrosley Field
1968WChicago CubsCrosley Field
1969LLos Angeles DodgersCrosley Field
1970**WMontreal ExposCrosley Field
1971 ND Atlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium
1972**LLos Angeles DodgersRiverfront Stadium
1973*LSan Francisco GiantsRiverfront Stadium
1974 ND Atlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium
1975 ND Los Angeles DodgersRiverfront Stadium
1976 WHouston AstrosRiverfront Stadium
1977WSan Diego PadresRiverfront Stadium
1978ND Houston AstrosRiverfront Stadium
1979* LSan Francisco GiantsRiverfront Stadium
1980WAtlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium
1981 ND Philadelphia PhilliesRiverfront Stadium
1982LChicago CubsRiverfront Stadium
1983 WAtlanta BravesRiverfront Stadium
1984 WNew York MetsRiverfront Stadium
1985 WMontreal ExposRiverfront Stadium
1986 WPhiladelphia PhilliesRiverfront Stadium
1987ND Montreal ExposRiverfront Stadium
1988 ND St. Louis CardinalsRiverfront Stadium
1989WLos Angeles DodgersRiverfront Stadium
1990 ND Houston AstrosAstrodome
1991 WHouston AstrosRiverfront Stadium
1992LSan Diego PadresRiverfront Stadium
1993 WMontreal ExposRiverfront Stadium
1994 LSt. Louis CardinalsRiverfront Stadium
1995* LChicago CubsRiverfront Stadium
1996WMontreal ExposCinergy Field
1997WColorado RockiesCinergy Field
1998LSan Diego PadresCinergy Field
1999ND San Francisco GiantsCinergy Field
2000TMilwaukee BrewersCinergy Field
2001 ND Atlanta BravesCinergy Field
2002ND Chicago CubsCinergy Field
2003LPittsburgh PiratesGreat American Ball Park
2004LChicago CubsGreat American Ball Park
2005ND New York MetsGreat American Ball Park
2006LChicago CubsGreat American Ball Park
2007 WChicago CubsGreat American Ball Park
2008 LArizona DiamondbacksGreat American Ball Park
2009 LNew York MetsGreat American Ball Park
2010* LSt. Louis CardinalsGreat American Ball Park
2011ND Milwaukee BrewersGreat American Ball Park
2012*WMiami MarlinsGreat American Ball Park
2013* ND Los Angeles AngelsGreat American Ball Park
2014 LSt. Louis CardinalsGreat American Ball Park
2015 ND Pittsburgh PiratesGreat American Ball Park
2016ND Philadelphia PhilliesGreat American Ball Park
2017LPhiladelphia PhilliesGreat American Ball Park
2018LWashington NationalsGreat American Ball Park
2019 WPittsburgh PiratesGreat American Ball Park-