List of Minnesota Twins Opening Day starting pitchers
The Minnesota Twins are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the American League Central division. They formerly played in Washington, D.C. as the Washington Senators before moving to Minnesota after the 1960 season. 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, which is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season,[1] though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.[2] The Twins have used 26 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 51 seasons in Minnesota. Starters have a combined Opening Day record of 14 wins, 25 losses and 12 no decisions. No decisions are only awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game.[3][4][5]
Brad Radke holds the Minnesota Twins record for most Opening Day starts with nine. He has a record in Opening Day starts for the Twins of four wins and two losses (4–2) with three no decisions. Bert Blyleven had six Opening Day starts for the Twins and Frank Viola had four.[3] Radke has the record for most wins in Minnesota Twins Opening Day starts with four. Liván Hernández, Mudcat Grant, and Dean Chance share the best winning percentage in Opening Day starts with one win and no losses (1–0) each. Kevin Tapani has the worst winning percentage, losing both Opening Day starts he made for the Twins (0–2).[3]
Overall, Minnesota Twins Opening Day starting pitchers have a record of 4–7 with three no decisions at Metropolitan Stadium and a 1–4 record with one no decision at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Their first home opener in their current ballpark of Target Field was in 2013. This gives their Opening Day starting pitchers' combined home record 5–11 with four no no decisions. Their away record is 9–14 with eight no decisions. The Twins went on to play in the World Series in 1965, 1987, and 1991, winning in 1987 and 1991. The Twins lost both Opening Day games in the years in which they won the World Series.[3]
Key
Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Twins season. |
W | Win |
L | Loss |
ND (W) | No decision by starting pitcher; Twins won game |
ND (L) | No decision by starting pitcher; Twins lost game |
Final Score |
Game score with Twins runs listed first |
Location | Stadium in bold for home game |
Pitcher (#) | Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Twins |
* | Advanced to the post-season |
** | Won American League Championship Series |
† | Won World Series |
Pitchers
References
- Bastian, Jordan (March 22, 2010). "Marcum tapped for Jays' Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- Dilbeck, Steve (February 24, 2014). "Dodgers may not start Clayton Kershaw in Sydney". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- "Minnesota Twins Opening Day Starters and Results". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
- "Seattle 6, Minnesota 1". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
- "LA Angels 6, Minnesota 3". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
- "Twins Opening Day 1961". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1962". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1963". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1964". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1965". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1966". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1967". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1968". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1969". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1969". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1971". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1972". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1973". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1974". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1975". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1976". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1977". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1978". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1979". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1980". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1981". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- "Twins Opening Day 1982". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1983". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1984". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1985". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1986". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1987". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1988". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1989". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1990". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1991". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1992". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1993". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1994". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1995". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1996". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1997". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1998". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 1999". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2000". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2001". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2002". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2003". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2004". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2005". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2006". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2007". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2008". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- "Toronto 13, Minnesota 3". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
- http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320406101
- "Twins Opening Day 2013". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2013-08-26.
- "Twins Opening Day 2014". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2014-04-04.