The Atlanta Braves are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Atlanta. They play in the National League East division. They were based in Milwaukee and Boston before moving to Atlanta for the 1966 season. 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 Atlanta Braves have used 24 different Opening Day starting pitchers in their 60 seasons in Atlanta. The 24 starters have a combined Opening Day record of 16 wins, 23 losses and 21 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.
Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds the Atlanta Braves' record for most Opening Day starts, with eight. Greg Maddux had seven for the team and Julio Teherán was featured six consecutive times from 2014 to 2019. Rick Mahler had five while Tom Glavine and John Smoltz have each made four Opening Day starts for the Braves. Maddux has the record for most wins in Atlanta Braves Opening Day starts, with five. Mahler has the highest winning percentage in Opening Day starts (1.000), with four wins and no losses with one no decision. All of Mahler's four victories were shutouts, including three in consecutive years (1985 to 1987) by identical scores of 6–0. Niekro has the record for most losses in Atlanta Braves Opening Day starts, with six.
From 1972 through 1980, the Braves lost nine consecutive Opening Day games. In those games, their starting pitchers had a record of no wins, six losses and three no decisions. Niekro had five of the losses during this streak, and Carl Morton had the other. Morton, Gary Gentry and Andy Messersmith had no decisions during the streak. One of the most famous Opening Day games in baseball history occurred during this stretch. That was the game on April 4, 1974, against the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium, when Hank Aaron hit his 714th career home run to tie Babe Ruth's all-time record. Carl Morton was Atlanta's starting pitcher for that game, and received a no decision.
Overall, Atlanta Braves Opening Day starting pitchers have a record of 4–5 with four no decisions at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, their original home ball park in Atlanta. They have a 3–3 record with three no decisions at their second home park in Atlanta, Turner Field. At their current home park of Truist Park, originally named SunTrust Park, they have a 0–1 record with one no decision. This gives the Atlanta Braves' Opening Day starting pitchers a combined home record 7–9 with eight no decisions. Their away record is 8–14 with eleven no decisions. The Braves went on to play in the World Series in 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2021, winning the 1995 and 2021 iterations. John Smoltz was the Opening Day starting pitcher in 1991, Tom Glavine in 1992 and 1999, Greg Maddux in 1995 and 1996, and Max Fried in 2021. They have a combined Opening Day record of 3–2 in years that the Atlanta Braves played in the World Series.
Key SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Braves season.WWinLLossND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Braves won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Braves lost gameFinalScoreGame score with Braves runs listed firstLocationStadium in italics for home gamePitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Braves*Advanced to the post-season**Won National League Championship Series†Won World Series
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1966LPittsburgh PiratesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1967LHouston AstrosAstrodome1968LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium1969* ND (W)San Francisco GiantsAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1970LSan Diego PadresSan Diego Stadium1971 ND (W)Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1972 LSan Diego PadresSan Diego Stadium1973ND (L)Houston AstrosAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1974ND (L)Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1975 LHouston AstrosAstrodome1976 LSan Diego PadresSan Diego Stadium1977ND (L)Houston AstrosAstrodome1978 LLos Angeles DodgersAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1979 LHouston AstrosAstrodome1980 LCincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1981ND (W)Cincinnati RedsAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1982*WSan Diego PadresJack Murphy Stadium1983 ND (L)Cincinnati RedsRiverfront Stadium1984LPhiladelphia PhilliesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1985 WPhiladelphia PhilliesVeterans Stadium1986 WMontreal ExposAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1987 WPhiladelphia PhilliesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1988 ND (L)Chicago CubsAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1989LHouston AstrosAstrodome1990LSan Francisco GiantsAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1991**LLos Angeles DodgersAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1992** WHouston AstrosAstrodome1993*WChicago CubsWrigley Field1994 WSan Diego PadresJack Murphy Stadium1995† WSan Francisco GiantsAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1996** WSan Francisco GiantsAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium1997* LHouston AstrosAstrodome1998* ND (W)Milwaukee BrewersTurner Field1999** LPhiladelphia PhilliesTurner Field2000* WColorado RockiesTurner Field2001*ND (W)Cincinnati RedsCinergy Field2002* WPhiladelphia PhilliesTurner Field2003* LMontreal ExposTurner Field2004*LNew York MetsTurner Field2005* LFlorida MarlinsDolphin Stadium2006ND (W)Los Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium2007 ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park2008 ND (L)Washington NationalsNationals Park2009WPhiladelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park2010* WChicago CubsTurner Field2011 WWashington NationalsNationals Park2012LNew York MetsCiti Field2013* ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesTurner Field2014LMilwaukee BrewersMiller Park2015 WMiami MarlinsMarlins Park2016 ND (L)Washington NationalsTurner Field 2017 ND (L) New York MetsCiti Field 2018* ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesSunTrust Park2019* LPhiladelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park2020*ND (L)New York MetsCiti Field 2021† ND (L) Philadelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park 2022* LCincinnati RedsTruist Park 2023* ND (W)7–2Washington NationalsNationals Park 2024*ND (W)9–3Philadelphia PhilliesCitizens Bank Park 2025ND (L)4–7San Diego PadresPetco Park 2026 (2)W6–0Kansas City RoyalsTruist Park
Footnotes Tony Cloninger had one Opening Day start for the Atlanta Braves in 1966. He also had one Opening Day start for the Milwaukee Braves in 1965, giving him a total of two Opening Day starts for the Braves' franchise.
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