The Cleveland Guardians are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio; until 2021, they were known as the Cleveland Indians. They play in the American League Central division. The first game of the new baseball season is played on Opening Day, and being named the starter that day 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. Since joining the league in 1901, the Indians have used 60 different Opening Day starting pitchers which includes the Opening Day starting pitchers from the Bluebirds and the Naps. They have a record of 65 wins and 60 losses in their Opening Day games.
The Indians have played in three different home ball parks, League Park from 1901 through 1946, Cleveland Stadium from 1932 to 1993, and Progressive Field since 1994. From 1934 through 1946 some games were played at League Park and some at Cleveland Stadium. They had a record of 11 wins and 4 losses in Opening Day games at League Park, 9 wins and 13 losses at Cleveland Stadium and 2 wins and 4 losses at Progressive Field, for a total home record in Opening Day games of 22 wins and 21 losses. Their record in Opening Day away games is 35 wins and 35 losses.
Bob Feller has the most Opening Day starts for the Indians, with seven. Stan Coveleski had six Opening Day starts for the Indians, Bob Lemon, CC Sabathia and Corey Kluber each had five Opening Day starts, and Addie Joss, Willie Mitchell, Gaylord Perry and Charles Nagy each had four. Several Baseball Hall of Famers have made Opening Day starts for the Indians, including Feller, Coveleski, Lemon, Joss, Gaylord Perry, Dennis Eckersley and Early Wynn. Brothers Jim Perry and Gaylord Perry each made Opening Day starts for the Indians. Jim Perry started on Opening Day in 1961 and Gaylord Perry made Opening Day starts in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.
The Indians have played in the World Series six times. They won in 1920 and 1948, and lost in 1954, 1995, 1997, and 2016. Coveleski was the Opening Day starting pitcher in 1920, Feller in 1948, Wynn in 1954, Dennis Martínez in 1995, Nagy in 1997, and Corey Kluber in 2016. The Indians are five and one in Opening Day games in those seasons, with the only loss coming in 2016. The Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays currently hold the record for the longest Opening Day game in Major League history. They set that record on Opening Day 2012, when the game lasted 16 innings. This broke the previous record of 15 innings between the Indians and the Detroit Tigers in 1960.
Key
WWinLLossTTie gameND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Cleveland won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Cleveland lost game(W)Cleveland won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision(L)Cleveland lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decisionFinal scoreGame score with Cleveland runs listed first LocationStadium in italics with for home gameNumber of appearances as Opening Day starter with Cleveland*Advanced to the post-season**American League championsWorld Series champions
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1901(L)Chicago White SoxSouth Side Park1902(L)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1903(L)Detroit TigersBennett Park1904(W)Chicago White SoxSouth Side Park1905 (W)Detroit TigersLeague Park1906(W)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1907(L)Detroit TigersBennett Park1908 (L)St. Louis BrownsLeague Park1909 (W)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1910 (W)Detroit TigersBennett Park1911(L)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1912(W)Detroit TigersLeague Park1913(W)Chicago White SoxLeague Park1914 (L)Chicago White SoxComiskey Park1915 (W)Detroit TigersNavin Field1916 (L)St. Louis BrownsLeague Park1917(W)Detroit TigersNavin Field1918 (W)Detroit TigersLeague Park1919 (L)Detroit TigersNavin Field1920 WSt. Louis BrownsLeague Park1921 LSt. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1922WDetroit TigersLeague Park1923 ND (W)Chicago White SoxLeague Park1924LDetroit TigersNavin Field1925ND (W)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1926WDetroit TigersNavin Field1927 WChicago White SoxLeague Park1928 WChicago White SoxComiskey Park1929ND (W)Detroit TigersLeague Park1930(L)Chicago White SoxComiskey Park1931WChicago White SoxLeague Park1932 WDetroit TigersNavin Field1933WDetroit TigersNavin Field1934WSt. Louis BrownsLeague Park1935WSt. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1936 (L)Detroit TigersLeague Park1937 (L)Detroit TigersNavin Field1938(L)St. Louis BrownsLeague Park1939WDetroit TigersCleveland Stadium1940 WChicago White SoxComiskey Park1941 (L)Chicago White SoxCleveland Stadium1942WDetroit TigersTiger Stadium1943 WDetroit TigersCleveland Stadium1944(L)Chicago White SoxComiskey Park1945(L)Chicago White SoxCleveland Stadium1946 WChicago White SoxComiskey Park1947 (L)Chicago White SoxComiskey Park1948 WSt. Louis BrownsCleveland Stadium1949 (L)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park1950(L)Detroit TigersCleveland Stadium1951 WDetroit TigersBriggs Stadium1952WChicago White SoxComiskey Park1953 WChicago White SoxCleveland Stadium1954** WChicago White SoxComiskey Park1955 WChicago White SoxCleveland Stadium1956 LChicago White SoxComiskey Park1957LChicago White SoxCleveland Stadium1958 LKansas City AthleticsCleveland Stadium1959WKansas City AthleticsMunicipal Stadium1960 ND (L)Detroit TigersCleveland Stadium1961WDetroit TigersTiger Stadium1962WBoston Red SoxFenway Park1963WMinnesota TwinsMetropolitan Stadium1964 ND (L)Minnesota TwinsCleveland Stadium1965WCalifornia AngelsDodger Stadium1966WWashington SenatorsRobert F. Kennedy Stadium1967 ND (L)Kansas City AthleticsMunicipal Stadium1968WChicago White SoxComiskey Park1969LDetroit TigersTiger Stadium1970 LBaltimore OriolesCleveland Stadium1971LDetroit TigersTiger Stadium1972LMilwaukee BrewersCleveland Stadium1973 WDetroit TigersCleveland Stadium1974 LNew York YankeesYankee Stadium1975 WNew York YankeesCleveland Stadium1976LDetroit TigersCleveland Stadium1977 ND (W)Boston Red SoxFenway Park1978WKansas City RoyalsCleveland Stadium1979LBoston Red SoxFenway Park1980LCalifornia AngelsAnaheim Stadium1981LMilwaukee BrewersCleveland Stadium1982LTexas RangersCleveland Stadium1983WOakland AthleticsOakland Coliseum1984 WTexas RangersArlington Stadium1985 ND (L)Detroit TigersTiger Stadium1986WBaltimore OriolesMemorial Stadium1987LToronto Blue JaysExhibition Stadium1988 ND (L)Texas RangersArlington Stadium1989WMilwaukee BrewersCleveland Stadium1990ND (L)New York YankeesYankee Stadium1991 LKansas City RoyalsKauffman Stadium1992LBaltimore OriolesCamden Yards1993 LNew York YankeesCleveland Stadium1994ND (W)Seattle MarinersJacobs Field1995** WTexas RangersRangers Ballpark in Arlington1996* LNew York YankeesJacobs Field1997** ND (W)Oakland AthleticsOakland Coliseum1998* ND (W)Seattle MarinersKingdome1999*ND (L)Anaheim AngelsAngel Stadium of Anaheim2000WBaltimore OriolesCamden Yards2001* LChicago White SoxJacobs Field2002 WAnaheim AngelsAngel Stadium of Anaheim2003ND (L)Baltimore OriolesCamden Yards2004 ND (L)Minnesota TwinsHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome2005LChicago White SoxComiskey Park2006 ND (L)Chicago White SoxComiskey Park2007* WChicago White SoxComiskey Park2008 ND (W)Chicago White SoxProgressive Field2009LTexas RangersRangers Ballpark in Arlington2010 LChicago White SoxU.S. Cellular Field2011LChicago White SoxProgressive Field2012ND (L)Toronto Blue JaysProgressive Field2013* W Toronto Blue JaysRogers Centre2014 ND (W)Oakland AthleticsO.co Coliseum2015LHouston AstrosMinute Maid Park2016** L Boston Red SoxProgressive Field2017* ND (W) Texas RangersGlobe Life Park in Arlington2018* LSeattle MarinersSafeco Field2019 LMinnesota TwinsTarget Field2020*WKansas City RoyalsProgressive Field2021 LDetroit TigersComerica Park2022* ND (L)Kansas City RoyalsKauffman Stadium2023 ND (L)Seattle MarinersT-Mobile Park2024* WOakland AthleticsOakland Coliseum2025* ND (W) 7–4Kansas City RoyalsKauffman Stadium2026 ND (W) 6–4Seattle MarinersT-Mobile Park
Notes
References General
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