List of Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day starting pitchers


The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Los Angeles. They play in the National League West 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 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 Dodgers have used 23 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 63 seasons in Los Angeles. The 23 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 27 wins, 26 losses and 9 no decisions.
The Dodgers started playing in Los Angeles in 1958, after moving from Brooklyn. The first Opening Day game for the Dodgers in Los Angeles was played in San Francisco against the San Francisco Giants on April 15, 1958. California native Don Drysdale was the Dodgers' Opening Day starting pitcher that day, in a game the Dodgers lost 8-0. Dodgers starting pitchers won both of their Opening Day starts in their first home ballpark in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Kershaw's eight Opening Day starts for the Dodgers from 2011 to 2018 are the most ever by a Dodgers starter, one more than Don Drysdale and Don Sutton. Fernando Valenzuela, Ramón Martínez and Orel Hershiser have had at least four Opening Day starts, with six, five and four respectively. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who won three Cy Young Awards during the 1960s, only made one Opening Day start for the Dodgers, in 1964. Drysdale and Kershaw are also tied for the Los Angeles Dodgers record for most wins as an Opening Day starter, with five wins. Drysdale also had two losses while Kershaw has one loss.
Koufax, Chan Ho Park, Brad Penny and Hiroki Kuroda are the only Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day starting pitchers to have won all their Opening Day decisions, Martinez and Derek Lowe share the Los Angeles Dodgers record for most Opening Day losses, with three. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series championship in 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981 and 1988. Drysdale, and Fernando Valenzuela were the Dodgers' Opening Day starting pitchers those years. The Dodgers' starting pitcher won the Opening Day game in 1963, 1965 and 1981, but lost in 1959 and 1988.

Key

SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Dodgers season.
Pitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Dodgers
WWin
LLoss
ND No decision by starting pitcher; Dodgers won game
ND No decision by starting pitcher; Dodgers lost game
Final scoreGame score with Dodgers runs listed first
LocationStadium in italics for home game
*Advanced to the post-season
**NL Champions
†World Series Champions

Pitchers

SeasonPitcherDecisionFinal
score		OpponentLocationRef
1958LSan Francisco GiantsSeals Stadium
1959† LChicago CubsWrigley Field
1960 WChicago CubsLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
1961 WPhiladelphia PhilliesLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
1962LCincinnati RedsDodger Stadium
1963† WChicago CubsWrigley Field
1964WSt. Louis CardinalsDodger Stadium
1965† WNew York MetsShea Stadium
1966**WHouston AstrosDodger Stadium
1967LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1968 LPhiladelphia PhilliesDodger Stadium
1969 WCincinnati RedsDodger Stadium
1970 LCincinnati RedsDodger Stadium
1971LHouston AstrosAstrodome
1972WCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
1973 LSan Diego PadresSan Diego Stadium
1974** WSan Diego PadresDodger Stadium
1975 ND Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
1976 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park
1977** WSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
1978** WAtlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium
1979ND San Diego PadresDodger Stadium
1980 LHouston AstrosAstrodome
1981†WHouston AstrosDodger Stadium
1982ND San Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
1983* ND Houston AstrosAstrodome
1984 LSt. Louis CardinalsDodger Stadium
1985* LHouston AstrosAstrodome
1986 WSan Diego PadresDodger Stadium
1987LHouston AstrosAstrodome
1988† LSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
1989LCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
1990 ND San Diego PadresDodger Stadium
1991 WAtlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium
1992LSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
1993 LFlorida MarlinsJoe Robbie Stadium
1994 ND Florida MarlinsDodger Stadium
1995* WFlorida MarlinsJoe Robbie Stadium
1996* WHouston AstrosAstrodome
1997 LPhiladelphia PhilliesDodger Stadium
1998 LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Memorial Stadium
1999ND Arizona DiamondbacksDodger Stadium
2000 WMontreal ExposOlympic Stadium
2001WMilwaukee BrewersDodger Stadium
2002 LSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
2003WArizona DiamondbacksBank One Ballpark
2004* LSan Diego PadresDodger Stadium
2005LSan Francisco GiantsSBC Park
2006* LAtlanta BravesDodger Stadium
2007 LMilwaukee BrewersMiller Park
2008*WSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
2009*WSan Diego PadresPetco Park
2010LPittsburgh PiratesPNC Park
2011WSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
2012 ND San Diego PadresPetco Park
2013* WSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
2014* WArizona DiamondbacksSydney Cricket Ground
2015* ND San Diego PadresDodger Stadium
2016* WSan Diego PadresPetco Park
2017** WSan Diego PadresDodger Stadium
2018** LSan Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium
2019 *WArizona DiamondbacksDodger Stadium
2020ND San Francisco GiantsDodger Stadium