The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They currently play in the American League Central.
The first game of a new baseball season for a team is known as Opening Day. The Opening Day starting pitcher is often given to the pitcher who is expected to lead the team's pitching staff for that season, though there are strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day. The Kansas City Royals have used 25 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 52 seasons. The 23 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 14 wins, 22 losses and 16 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.
The Kansas City Royals began play in 1969. Wally Bunker was the Royals’ first Opening Day starting pitcher on April 8, 1969, against the Minnesota Twins. The Royals have played in two home ball parks. They played in Municipal Stadium from 1969 through 1972. They played three Opening Day games at Municipal Stadium, winning twice and losing once. The Royals’ starting pitchers received no decisions in both of the wins, leaving their record in Opening Day starts at Municipal Stadium no wins, one loss, and two no decisions. In 1973, the team moved to Royals Stadium (later renamed to Kauffman Stadium in 1993). They have played 24 Opening Day games in the stadium, with starting pitchers having ten wins, ten losses, and four no decisions. On the other hand, the Royals have played 25 Opening Day games on the road. Starting pitchers have a combined record of four wins, thirteen losses, and eight no decisions for road games.
Kevin Appier has most Opening Day starts for the Royals, with seven, including six consecutive start from 1992 to 1997. He has a record of 1–4 with two no decisions in those starts. The other Royal pitchers who have made at least three Opening Day starts are Dennis Leonard with four, and Paul Splittorff, Bud Black, Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Suppan, Gil Meche, and Danny Duffy with three apiece. Bunker, Dick Drago, Steve Busby, Larry Gura, James Shields, and Cole Ragans have each made two Opening Day starts for the Royals.
Black, who has two wins as an Opening Day starting pitcher, is the only Royals pitcher who has won more than one Opening Day start. Black had a record in Opening Day starts of 2–1. Only two Royals pitchers had more than one loss in Opening Day starts, Kevin Appier with four losses and Dennis Leonard with three.
The Royals played in the World Series in 1980, 1985, 2014 and 2015, winning in 1985 and 2015. Leonard, Black, Shields and Ventura were the Opening Day starting pitchers in 1980, 1985, 2014 and 2015 respectively. They combined to have an Opening Day record of 2–1 with one no decision.
Key
SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Royals season.WWinLLossND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Royals won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Royals lost gameFinalScoreGame score with Royals runs listed firstLocationStadium in italics for home gamePitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Royals*Advanced to the post-season**AL Champions†World Series Champions
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1969ND (W)Minnesota TwinsMunicipal Stadium1970 LOakland AthleticsMunicipal Stadium1971WCalifornia AngelsAnaheim Stadium1972 ND (W)Chicago White SoxMunicipal Stadium1973LCalifornia AngelsAnaheim Stadium1974ND (L)Minnesota TwinsRoyals Stadium1975 ND (L)California AngelsAnaheim Stadium1976* LChicago White SoxComiskey Park1977* WDetroit TigersTiger Stadium1978*LCleveland IndiansCleveland Stadium1979 WToronto Blue JaysRoyals Stadium1980** LDetroit TigersRoyals Stadium1981*LBaltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium1982 LBaltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium1983 WBaltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium1984*WNew York YankeesRoyals Stadium1985† WToronto Blue JaysRoyals Stadium1986 LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium1987LChicago White SoxRoyals Stadium1988LToronto Blue JaysRoyals Stadium1989LToronto Blue JaysRoyals Stadium1990 ND (L)Baltimore OriolesRoyals Stadium1991 WCleveland IndiansRoyals Stadium1992ND (L)Oakland AthleticsOakland–Alameda County Coliseum1993 LBoston Red SoxRoyals Stadium1994 LBaltimore OriolesCamden Yards1995 WBaltimore OriolesKauffman Stadium1996 LBaltimore OriolesCamden Yards1997 ND (L)Baltimore OriolesCamden Yards1998WBaltimore OriolesCamden Yards1999 LBoston Red SoxKauffman Stadium2000ND (L)Toronto Blue JaysSkyDome2001 LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium2002 ND (L)Minnesota TwinsKauffman Stadium2003WChicago White SoxKauffman Stadium2004ND (W)Chicago White SoxKauffman Stadium2005LDetroit TigersComerica Park2006LDetroit TigersKauffman Stadium2007WBoston Red SoxKauffman Stadium2008 ND (W)Detroit TigersComerica Park2009 ND (L)Chicago White SoxU.S. Cellular Field2010ND (L)Detroit TigersKauffman Stadium2011LLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimKauffman Stadium2012LLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimAngel Stadium of Anaheim2013LChicago White SoxU.S. Cellular Field2014** ND (L)Detroit TigersComerica Park2015†WChicago White SoxKauffman Stadium2016WNew York MetsKauffman Stadium2017 ND (L)Minnesota TwinsTarget Field2018 LChicago White SoxKauffman Stadium2019 WChicago White SoxKauffman Stadium2020 LCleveland IndiansProgressive Field2021 ND (W)Texas RangersKauffman Stadium2022 ND (W)Cleveland GuardiansKauffman Stadium2023 L Minnesota TwinsKauffman Stadium2024* L Minnesota TwinsKauffman Stadium2025 ND (L) Cleveland GuardiansKauffman Stadium2026 Atlanta BravesTruist Park
References