List of Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day starting pitchers

The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Tampa Bay, Florida. They play in the American League East division. 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 given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season.^[1] The Rays have used ten different Opening Day starting pitchers in their fourteen seasons. Since the franchise's beginning in 1998, the nine starters have a combined Opening Day record of four wins, six losses (4–5), and four no decisions.^[2][3][4][5] "No decisions" are awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game.

James Shields holds the Rays' record for most Opening Day starts with three, with one win, one loss, and one no decision.^[2] The all-time record for a Tampa Bay pitcher winning an Opening Day game is one, shared by Steve Trachsel, Albie Lopez, Victor Zambrano, and James Shields.^[2]

Overall, Rays pitchers have a combined 2–3 record at home and 2–3 when they are away for Opening Day.^[2][4] In 2004, the Rays opened the season against the New York Yankees at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.^[2][6] Although that game was not played in Tampa Bay's actual home of Tropicana Field, it was still considered a home game for the Rays.^[2][6] Tampa Bay beat the Yankees 8–3 in that game, giving starting pitcher Victor Zambrano the win.^[6]

Key

Pitchers

References