List of Philadelphia Phillies Opening Day starting pitchers


The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Philadelphia. They play in the National League East division. Also known in early franchise history as the "Philadelphia Quakers", the Phillies have used 72 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 128 seasons. 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. Where decisions are known, the 72 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 33 wins, 40 losses and 20 no decisions ; where decisions are unknown, the team's record was 17–19. No decisions are awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game. It can also result if a starting pitcher does not pitch five full innings, even if his team retains the lead and wins.
Hall of Fame left-handed pitcher Steve Carlton has the most Opening Day starts for the Phillies, with 14, compiling a record of 3–9–2. He is followed by Robin Roberts, Chris Short, and Curt Schilling. Grover Cleveland Alexander also made five Opening Day starts for the Phillies, equal to Schilling; however, no information on his decisions in those games is available. The team's record in his five Opening Day starts is 4–1.
Roberts holds the Phillies' record for most wins in Opening Day starts with five. Art Mahaffey has the best record in Opening Day starts for the franchise; though many players have won their only Opening Day start, Mahaffey started and won two Opening Day games, for a winning percentage of 1.000; Roy Halladay also has a 1.000 winning percentage, with two wins and a no decision in three starts. Conversely, George McQuillan is the only player to have a.000 winning percentage in more than one Opening Day start. Brett Myers has a.000 winning percentage in his three starts, but has accumulated two no decisions. Carlton has the most Opening Day losses for the team, with nine.
The Phillies have played in six home ballparks. Their best overall Opening Day record is at Shibe Park, where they won 11 Opening Day games out of 14 played there. The team also owned an 8–17 Opening Day record at Baker Bowl, with 1 tie. Recreation Park's Opening Day record is 1–2, while Veterans Stadium has the lowest winning percentage, with 2 wins and 8 losses. The Phillies currently play at Citizens Bank Park, where they are 1–5 on Opening Day.
The Phillies have played in seven World Series championships in their history, winning in 1980 and 2008. Carlton won his Opening Day start against the Montreal Expos in 1980, while Myers received a no-decision against the same franchise in 2008, a game that the Phillies eventually lost, and lost the opening game against the Atlanta Braves in 2009. Carlton also started Opening Day in 1983, the year that the Phillies lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. Alexander started Opening Day in 1915, the Phillies' first World Series appearance, while Roberts started the first game of 1950, and Terry Mulholland the first game of 1993.

Key

Starting pitchers

SeasonPitcherDecisionFinal
score		OpponentLocationRef
4–3Providence GraysRecreation Park
13–2Detroit WolverinesRecreation Park
8–2Providence GraysRecreation Park
6–3Washington NationalsSwampoodle Grounds
4–3New York GiantsPolo Grounds I
4–3Boston BeaneatersSouth End Grounds II
8–4Washington NationalsSwampoodle Grounds
4–0New York GiantsPolo Grounds II
14–8Brooklyn GroomsPhiladelphia Baseball Grounds
5–4New York GiantsPhiladelphia Baseball Grounds
7–5Brooklyn GroomsPhiladelphia Baseball Grounds
4–2Washington SenatorsBoundary Field
7–6Baltimore Orioles Union Park
7–3Boston BeaneatersBaker Bowl
6–5Boston BeaneatersSouth End Grounds III
7–6New York GiantsBaker Bowl
6–5Washington SenatorsBaker Bowl
19–17Boston BeaneatersSouth End Grounds III
12–7Brooklyn SuperbasBaker Bowl
7–0New York GiantsPolo Grounds III
8–3Boston BeaneatersBaker Bowl
6–2Boston BeaneatersBaker Bowl
12–8Brooklyn SuperbasWashington Park III
3–2New York GiantsBaker Bowl
3–0New York GiantsPolo Grounds III
3–1New York GiantsBaker Bowl
9–5Boston DovesSouth End Grounds III
2–0Brooklyn SuperbasBaker Bowl
W2–0New York GiantsPolo Grounds IV
7–4Boston BravesSouth End Grounds III
1–0Brooklyn SuperbasEbbets Field
10–1New York GiantsBaker Bowl
* 3–0Boston BravesFenway Park
5–4New York GiantsBaker Bowl
6–5Brooklyn RobinsEbbets Field
5–2Boston BravesBaker Bowl
10–7New York GiantsBaker Bowl
L9–2Brooklyn RobinsEbbets Field
ND 10–8 New York GiantsBaker Bowl
W7–1Boston BravesBraves Field
ND 5–5Brooklyn RobinsEbbets Field
ND 6–6 Boston BravesBaker Bowl
L3–1Brooklyn RobinsEbbets Field
W6–3Boston BravesBaker Bowl
L15–7New York GiantsBaker Bowl
W4–3Brooklyn RobinsEbbets Field
L11–9New York GiantsBaker Bowl
W1–0Brooklyn RobinsEbbets Field
L9–5New York GiantsBaker Bowl
W13–5New York GiantsPolo Grounds IV
L5–4Brooklyn RobinsBaker Bowl
L6–1New York GiantsPolo Grounds IV
L12–3Brooklyn DodgersBaker Bowl
W4–1Boston BravesBaker Bowl
ND 2–1 Boston BravesBraves Field
W1–0Boston BravesBraves Field
ND 12–5Brooklyn DodgersBaker Bowl
ND 7–6 Boston BravesBraves Field
W3–1New York GiantsPolo Grounds IV
W6–5Boston BravesShibe Park
L2–1Boston BravesShibe Park
L11–4Brooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
W4–1Brooklyn DodgersShibe Park
L8–2Brooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
L8–4New York GiantsPolo Grounds IV
W4–3New York GiantsShibe Park
W3–1Boston BravesShibe Park
W4–0Boston BravesBraves Field
* W9–1Brooklyn DodgersShibe Park
W5–2Brooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
L5–3New York GiantsPolo Grounds IV
L4–1Brooklyn DodgersConnie Mack Stadium
L4–2Pittsburgh PiratesForbes Field
W4–2New York GiantsConnie Mack Stadium
W8–6Brooklyn DodgersEbbets Field
L7–6Brooklyn DodgersConnie Mack Stadium
ND 5–4Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
W2–1Cincinnati RedsConnie Mack Stadium
L9–4Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
L6–2Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
W12–4Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
W2–1Cincinnati RedsConnie Mack Stadium
ND 5–3New York MetsConnie Mack Stadium
W2–0Houston AstrosAstrodome
ND 3–2 St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium I
L4–2Chicago CubsWrigley Field
W2–0Los Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium
ND 7–6Chicago CubsWrigley Field
W2–0Chicago CubsConnie Mack Stadium
L4–2Pittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium
W4–2Chicago CubsWrigley Field
L3–0New York MetsShea Stadium
ND 5–4New York MetsVeterans Stadium
L2–1New York MetsShea Stadium
* ND 5–4Pittsburgh PiratesVeterans Stadium
* L4–3Montreal ExposVeterans Stadium
* L5–1St. Louis CardinalsVeterans Stadium
L8–1St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium II
† W6–3Montreal ExposVeterans Stadium
* ND 3–2Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
L7–2New York MetsVeterans Stadium
§ L2–0New York MetsShea Stadium
W5–0Atlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium
L6–0Atlanta BravesVeterans Stadium
L7–4Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
L6–0Atlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium
L5–3Pittsburgh PiratesVeterans Stadium
L5–3Chicago CubsWrigley Field
ND 2–1Chicago CubsWrigley Field
L2–1New York MetsShea Stadium
L4–3Chicago CubsVeterans Stadium
§ W3–1Houston AstrosAstrodome
ND 12–6Colorado RockiesMile High Stadium
ND 7–6St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium II
L5–3Colorado RockiesVeterans Stadium
W3–0Los Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium
ND 1–0 New York MetsShea Stadium
W7–4Atlanta BravesTurner Field
L6–4Arizona DiamondbacksBank One Ballpark
ND 6–5 Florida MarlinsPro Player Stadium
L7–2Atlanta BravesTurner Field
W8–5Florida MarlinsPro Player Stadium
L2–1Pittsburgh PiratesPNC Park
W8–4Washington NationalsCitizens Bank Park
L13–5St. Louis CardinalsCitizens Bank Park
* ND 5–3Atlanta BravesCitizens Bank Park
† ND 11–6Washington NationalsCitizens Bank Park
§Brett Myers L4–1Atlanta BravesCitizens Bank Park
*Roy Halladay W11–1Washington NationalsNationals Park
*Roy Halladay ND 5–4Houston AstrosCitizens Bank Park
Roy Halladay W1–0Pittsburgh PiratesPNC Park
L7–5Atlanta BravesTurner Field
W14–10Texas RangersGlobe Life Park in Arlington
L8–0Boston Red SoxCitizens Bank Park
ND 2–6Cincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park
W4–3Cincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park
ND 5–8Atlanta BravesSunTrust Park
W10-4Atlanta BravesCitizens Bank Park
L2-5Miami MarlinsCitizens Bank Park

Footnotes