List of St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day starting pitchers


The St. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri. They play in the National League Central 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. As of 2008, The Cardinals have used 71 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 128 seasons. Since the franchise's beginning in, the starters have a combined Opening Day record of 70 wins, 57 losses, and 22 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. Although in modern baseball, ties are rare due to extra innings.
Bob Gibson holds the Cardinals record for most Opening Day starts with ten.

Key

Pitchers

SeasonPitcherDecisionOpponentLocationRef
1882Louisville EclipseSportsman's Park
1883 Cincinnati Red StockingsBank Street Grounds
1884Indianapolis HoosiersSportsman's Park
1885Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1886Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1887 Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park
1888Louisville ColonelsSportsman's Park
1889 Cincinnati RedsLeague Park
1890Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park
1891Cincinnati Kelly's KillersEast End Park
1892Chicago ColtsSportsman's Park
1893Louisville ColonelsNew Sportsman's Park
1894Pittsburgh PiratesNew Sportsman's Park
1895 Chicago ColtsNew Sportsman's Park
1896 Cleveland SpidersNew Sportsman's Park
1897Pittsburgh PiratesNew Sportsman's Park
1898Chicago OrphansNew Sportsman's Park
1899Cleveland SpidersLeague Park
1900 Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1901Chicago OrphansLeague Park
1902Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1903Chicago CubsLeague Park
1904Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1905Chicago CubsLeague Park
1906 Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1907Chicago CubsWest Side Park
1908Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1909 Chicago CubsWest Side Park
1910Pittsburgh PiratesLeague Park
1911TChicago CubsWest Side Park
1912Pittsburgh PiratesRobison Field
1913Chicago CubsWest Side Park
1914 Pittsburgh PiratesRobison Field
1915 Chicago CubsWest Side Park
1916Pittsburgh PiratesRobison Field
1917Cincinnati RedsRedland Field
1918 Chicago CubsCardinal Field
1919Cincinnati RedsRedland Field
1920 Pittsburgh PiratesCardinal Field
1921LChicago CubsCubs Park
1922WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1923ND Cincinnati RedsRedland Field
1924ND Chicago CubsSportsman's Park
1925 LCincinnati RedsRedland Field
1926WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1927Chicago CubsWrigley Field
1928** Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1929 Cincinnati RedsRedland Field
1930** Chicago CubsSportsman's Park
1931*** Cincinnati RedsRedland Field
1932 Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1933Chicago CubsWrigley Field
1934*** Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1935 Chicago CubsWrigley Field
1936 Chicago CubsSportsman's Park
1937 WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1938Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1939 WPittsburgh PiratesForbes Field
1940Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1941WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1942***Chicago CubsSportsman's Park
1943** Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1944***WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1945Chicago CubsWrigley Field
1946***Pittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1947Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1948WCincinnati RedsSportsman's Park
1949Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1950WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1951Pittsburgh PiratesForbes Field
1952 WPittsburgh PiratesSportsman's Park
1953 LMilwaukee BravesMilwaukee County Stadium
1954LChicago CubsBusch Stadium
1955LChicago CubsWrigley Field
1956WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1957WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field
1958 LChicago CubsSportsman's Park
1959ND San Francisco GiantsSportsman's Park
1960 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park
1961ND Milwaukee BravesMilwaukee County Stadium
1962 WNew York MetsSportsman's Park
1963 WNew York MetsPolo Grounds
1964*** LLos Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium
1965TChicago CubsWrigley Field
1966ND Philadelphia PhilliesSportsman's Park
1967*** WSan Francisco GiantsBusch Memorial Stadium
1968** ND Atlanta BravesBusch Memorial Stadium
1969 ND Pittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium
1970 WMontreal ExposJarry Park Stadium
1971 LChicago CubsWrigley Field
1972 ND Montreal ExposBusch Memorial Stadium
1973 ND Pittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium
1974 ND Pittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium
1975 LMontreal ExposBusch Memorial Stadium
1976WChicago CubsBusch Memorial Stadium
1977WPittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium
1978WPhiladelphia PhilliesVeterans Stadium
1979 WPhiladelphia PhilliesBusch Memorial Stadium
1980WPittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium
1981 LPhiladelphia PhilliesBusch Memorial Stadium
1982*** WHouston AstrosHouston Astrodome
1983 LPittsburgh PiratesBusch Memorial Stadium
1984LLos Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium
1985**ND New York MetsShea Stadium
1986WChicago CubsBusch Memorial Stadium
1987** WChicago CubsWrigley Field
1988*ND Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
1989 LNew York MetsShea Stadium
1990 ND Montreal ExposBusch Memorial Stadium
1991WChicago CubsWrigley Field
1992ND New York MetsBusch Memorial Stadium
1993LSan Francisco GiantsBusch Memorial Stadium
1994 WCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium
1995ND Philadelphia PhilliesBusch Memorial Stadium
1996*ND New York MetsShea Stadium
1997ND Montreal ExposOlympic Stadium
1998 WLos Angeles DodgersBusch Memorial Stadium
1999ND Milwaukee BrewersBusch Memorial Stadium
2000*WChicago CubsBusch Memorial Stadium
2001* LColorado RockiesCoors Field
2002*Matt MorrisWColorado RockiesBusch Memorial Stadium
2003Matt Morris ND Milwaukee BrewersBusch Memorial Stadium
2004**Matt Morris ND Milwaukee BrewersBusch Memorial Stadium
2005*WHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park
2006*** WPhiladelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park
2007 LNew York MetsBusch Stadium
2008ND Colorado RockiesBusch Stadium
2009*ND Pittsburgh PiratesBusch Stadium
2010 WCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park
2011*** ND San Diego PadresBusch Stadium
2012* WMiami MarlinsMarlins Park
2013** LArizona DiamondbacksChase Field
2014 WCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park
2015* WChicago CubsWrigley Field
2016 LPittsburgh PiratesPNC Park
2017ND Chicago CubsBusch Stadium
2018 LNew York MetsCiti Field
2019*LMilwaukee BrewersMiller Park
2020Pittsburgh PiratesBusch Stadium