The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Houston, Texas. They currently play in the American 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 Astros began to play in 1962 as the Houston Colt .45s (their name was changed to the Astros in 1965 when the Houston Astrodome opened as their home ball park). Bobby Shantz started their first Opening Day game on April 10, 1962, against the Chicago Cubs at Houston's Colt Stadium and was credited with the win. In their first eight seasons, the Colt .45s / Astros used eight different Opening Day starters. In 1970, that streak ended when Larry Dierker made his second Opening Day start.
Roy Oswalt has made the most Opening Day starts for the Astros, with eight such starts from 2003 through 2010. Three different pitchers have each made five Opening Day starts for the Astros: J. R. Richard (1976–1980), Mike Scott (1987–1991) and Shane Reynolds (1996–2000). Dierker made four Opening Day starts for the Astros, and Joe Niekro and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan made three apiece. Dierker has the best record in Opening Day starts with four wins and no losses. Niekro and Don Wilson share the worst record in Opening Day starts with no wins and two losses each. Niekro also had one no decision.
The Houston Astros have used 27 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 61 seasons. The 27 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 30 wins, 21 losses and ten no decisions (which has resulted in a record of 33–28). No decisions are only awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game. The Astros have played in three home ball parks. Their first home ball park was Colt Stadium. Their starting pitchers had one win and one loss in their two Opening Day games at Colt Stadium. They played 25 Opening Day games in the Astrodome after moving there in 1965, and their starting pitchers had a record of twelve wins, eight losses and five no decisions in those games (going 14–11 overall). In 2000, they moved to Enron Field (subsequently renamed Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) in Downtown Houston. Through 2024, they have played seventeen Opening Day games there and have seen Astros starters go 8–4 with five no decisions (8–9 overall). This makes the record of the Astros' Opening Day starting pitchers in home games 21 wins, 13 losses and ten no decisions (23–21 overall). Their record in Opening Day away games is nine wins, eight losses and two no decisions (10–9 overall). The Astros have advanced to the World Series four times. In 2022, they set a modern Major League Baseball record by winning on Opening Day for the tenth straight season.
Key
SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Colt .45s / Astros season.WWinLLossND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Astros won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Astros lost gameFinal scoreGame score with Colt .45s / Astros runs listed firstLocationStadium in italics for home gamePitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Colt .45s / Astros*Advanced to the post-season**NL Champions***AL Champions†World Series Champions
Pitchers
Season Pitcher Decision Opponent Location 1962WChicago CubsColt Stadium1963LSan Francisco GiantsColt Stadium1964WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field1965LPhiladelphia PhilliesAstrodome1966LLos Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium1967WAtlanta BravesAstrodome1968WPittsburgh PiratesAstrodome1969LSan Diego PadresSan Diego Stadium1970 WSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park1971 WLos Angeles DodgersAstrodome1972 LSan Francisco GiantsAstrodome1973ND (W)Atlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1974 LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park1975 WAtlanta BravesAstrodome1976LCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1977 ND (W)Atlanta BravesAstrodome1978 LCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1979 WAtlanta BravesAstrodome1980* WLos Angeles DodgersAstrodome1981*LLos Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium1982LSt. Louis CardinalsAstrodome1983 ND (L)Los Angeles DodgersAstrodome1984 LMontreal ExposAstrodome1985 WLos Angeles DodgersAstrodome1986* LSan Francisco GiantsAstrodome1987WLos Angeles DodgersAstrodome1988 WSan Diego PadresAstrodome1989 WAtlanta BravesAstrodome1990 ND (L)Cincinnati RedsAstrodome1991 LCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1992LAtlanta BravesAstrodome1993LPhiladelphia PhilliesAstrodome1994 ND (W)Montreal ExposAstrodome1995 WSan Diego PadresJack Murphy Stadium1996LLos Angeles DodgersAstrodome1997* WAtlanta BravesAstrodome1998* ND (L)San Francisco GiantsAstrodome1999* WChicago CubsAstrodome2000 WPittsburgh PiratesThree Rivers Stadium2001*WMilwaukee BrewersEnron Field2002LMilwaukee BrewersAstros Field2003WColorado RockiesMinute Maid Park2004* ND (L)San Francisco GiantsMinute Maid Park2005** LSt. Louis CardinalsMinute Maid Park2006 WFlorida MarlinsMinute Maid Park2007 ND (L)Pittsburgh PiratesMinute Maid Park2008 LSan Diego PadresPetco Park2009 LChicago CubsMinute Maid Park2010 LSan Francisco GiantsMinute Maid Park2011ND (L)Philadelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park2012ND (L)Colorado RockiesMinute Maid Park2013WTexas RangersMinute Maid Park2014WNew York YankeesMinute Maid Park2015*WCleveland IndiansMinute Maid Park2016 WNew York YankeesYankee Stadium2017† WSeattle MarinersMinute Maid Park2018* WTexas RangersGlobe Life Park2019*** WTampa Bay RaysTropicana Field2020* WSeattle MarinersMinute Maid Park2021***WOakland AthleticsRingCentral Coliseum2022†WLos Angeles AngelsAngel Stadium2023* ND (L) Chicago White SoxMinute Maid Park2024* ND (L) New York YankeesMinute Maid Park2025 W New York Mets Daikin Park2026 ND (L) Los Angeles Angels Daikin Park
References