# List of Cleveland Guardians Opening Day starting pitchers

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 58 different Opening Day starting pitchers which includes the Opening Day starting pitchers from the Bluebirds and the Naps. They have a record of 58 wins and 54 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

| W | Win |
| L | Loss |
| T | Tie game |
| ND (W) | No decision by starting pitcher; Cleveland won game |
| ND (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 decision |
| Final score | Game score with Cleveland runs listed first |
| Location | Stadium in italics with ‡ for home game |
| (No.) | Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with Cleveland |
| * | Advanced to the post-season |
| ** | American League champions |
| † | World Series champions |

## Pitchers

| Season | Pitcher | Decision | Final score | Opponent | Location |
| 1901 | Bill Hoffer | (L) | 2–8 | Chicago White Sox | South Side Park |
| 1902 | Earl Moore | (L) | 2–5 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1903 | Addie Joss | (L) | 2–4 | Detroit Tigers | Bennett Park |
| 1904 | Bill Bernhard | (W) | 6–1 | Chicago White Sox | South Side Park |
| 1905 | Earl Moore (2) | (W) | 6–2 | Detroit Tigers | League Park‡ |
| 1906 | Otto Hess | (W) | 3–1 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1907 | Glenn Liebhardt | (L) | 0–2 | Detroit Tigers | Bennett Park |
| 1908 | Addie Joss (2) | (L) | 1–2 | St. Louis Browns | League Park‡ |
| 1909 | Addie Joss (3) | (W) | 4–2 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1910 | Addie Joss (4) | (W) | 9–7 | Detroit Tigers | Bennett Park |
| 1911 | Fred Blanding | (L) | 3–12 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1912 | Willie Mitchell | (W) | 3–2 | Detroit Tigers | League Park‡ |
| 1913 | Vean Gregg | (W) | 3–1 | Chicago White Sox | League Park‡ |
| 1914 | Willie Mitchell (2) | (L) | 2–5 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1915 | Willie Mitchell (3) | (W) | 5–1 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1916 | Willie Mitchell (4) | (L) | 1–6 | St. Louis Browns | League Park‡ |
| 1917 | Stan Coveleski | (W) | 6–4 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1918 | Stan Coveleski (2) | (W) | 6–2 | Detroit Tigers | League Park‡ |
| 1919 | Stan Coveleski (3) | (L) | 2–4 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1920† | Stan Coveleski (4) | W | 5–0 | St. Louis Browns | League Park‡ |
| 1921 | Stan Coveleski (5) | L | 2–4 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1922 | Guy Morton | W | 7–4 | Detroit Tigers | League Park‡ |
| 1923 | Stan Coveleski (6) | ND (W) | 6–5 | Chicago White Sox | League Park‡ |
| 1924 | Joe Shaute | L | 3–4 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1925 | Sherry Smith | ND (W) | 21–14 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1926 | George Uhle | W | 2–1 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1927 | George Uhle (2) | W | 3–2 | Chicago White Sox | League Park‡ |
| 1928 | George Uhle (3) | W | 8–2 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1929 | Joe Shaute | ND (W) | 5–4 | Detroit Tigers | League Park‡ |
| 1930 | Willis Hudlin | (L) | 7–8 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1931 | Wes Ferrell | W | 5–4 | Chicago White Sox | League Park‡ |
| 1932 | Wes Ferrell (2) | W | 6–5 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1933 | Clint Brown | W | 4–1 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1934 | Oral Hildebrand | W | 5–2 | St. Louis Browns | League Park‡ |
| 1935 | Mel Harder | W | 2–1 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1936 | Mel Harder (2) | (L) | 0–3 | Detroit Tigers | League Park‡ |
| 1937 | Mel Harder (3) | (L) | 3–4 | Detroit Tigers | Navin Field |
| 1938 | Johnny Allen | (L) | 2–6 | St. Louis Browns | League Park‡ |
| 1939 | Bob Feller | W | 5–1 | Detroit Tigers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1940 | Bob Feller (2) | W | 1–0 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1941 | Bob Feller (3) | (L) | 3–4 | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1942 | Jim Bagby | W | 5–2 | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium |
| 1943 | Jim Bagby (2) | W | 1–0 | Detroit Tigers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1944 | Al Smith | (L) | 1–3 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1945 | Allie Reynolds | (L) | 2–5 | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1946 | Bob Feller (4) | W | 1–0 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1947 | Bob Feller (5) | (L) | 0–2 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1948† | Bob Feller (6) | W | 4–0 | St. Louis Browns | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1949 | Bob Feller (7) | (L) | 1–5 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1950 | Bob Lemon | (L) | 6–7 | Detroit Tigers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1951 | Bob Lemon (2) | W | 2–1 | Detroit Tigers | Briggs Stadium |
| 1952 | Early Wynn | W | 3–2 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1953 | Bob Lemon (3) | W | 6–0 | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1954** | Early Wynn (2) | W | 8–2 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1955 | Bob Lemon (4) | W | 5–1 | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1956 | Bob Lemon (5) | L | 1–2 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1957 | Herb Score | L | 2–3 | Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1958 | Herb Score (2) | L | 0–5 | Kansas City Athletics | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1959 | Gary Bell | W | 6–4 | Kansas City Athletics | Municipal Stadium |
| 1960 | Gary Bell (2) | ND (L) | 2–4 | Detroit Tigers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1961 | Jim Perry | W | 9–5 | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium |
| 1962 | Dick Donovan | W | 4–0 | Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park |
| 1963 | Mudcat Grant | W | 5–4 | Minnesota Twins | Metropolitan Stadium |
| 1964 | Mudcat Grant (2) | ND (L) | 6–7 | Minnesota Twins | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1965 | Ralph Terry | W | 7–1 | California Angels | Dodger Stadium |
| 1966 | Sam McDowell | W | 5–2 | Washington Senators | Robert F. Kennedy Stadium |
| 1967 | Sam McDowell (2) | ND (L) | 3–4 | Kansas City Athletics | Municipal Stadium |
| 1968 | Sonny Siebert | W | 9–0 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 1969 | Luis Tiant | L | 2–6 | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium |
| 1970 | Sam McDowell (3) | L | 2–8 | Baltimore Orioles | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1971 | Steve Hargan | L | 2–8 | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium |
| 1972 | Gaylord Perry | L | 1–5 | Milwaukee Brewers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1973 | Gaylord Perry (2) | W | 2–1 | Detroit Tigers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1974 | Gaylord Perry (3) | L | 1–6 | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium |
| 1975 | Gaylord Perry (4) | W | 5–3 | New York Yankees | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1976 | Dennis Eckersley | L | 1–3 | Detroit Tigers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1977 | Dennis Eckersley (2) | ND (W) | 5–4 | Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park |
| 1978 | Wayne Garland | W | 8–5 | Kansas City Royals | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1979 | Rick Wise | L | 1–7 | Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park |
| 1980 | Dan Spillner | L | 2–10 | California Angels | Anaheim Stadium |
| 1981 | Bert Blyleven | L | 3–5 | Milwaukee Brewers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1982 | Rick Waits | L | 3–8 | Texas Rangers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1983 | Rick Sutcliffe | W | 8–5 | Oakland Athletics | Oakland Coliseum |
| 1984 | Rick Sutcliffe (2) | W | 9–1 | Texas Rangers | Arlington Stadium |
| 1985 | Bert Blyleven (2) | ND (L) | 4–5 | Detroit Tigers | Tiger Stadium |
| 1986 | Ken Schrom | W | 6–4 | Baltimore Orioles | Memorial Stadium |
| 1987 | Tom Candiotti | L | 3–4 | Toronto Blue Jays | Exhibition Stadium |
| 1988 | Tom Candiotti (2) | ND (L) | 3–4 | Texas Rangers | Arlington Stadium |
| 1989 | Greg Swindell | W | 2–1 | Milwaukee Brewers | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1990 | Bud Black | ND (L) | 4–6 | New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium |
| 1991 | Greg Swindell (2) | L | 2–4 | Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium |
| 1992 | Charles Nagy | L | 0–2 | Baltimore Orioles | Camden Yards |
| 1993 | Charles Nagy (2) | L | 1–9 | New York Yankees | Cleveland Stadium‡ |
| 1994 | Dennis Martínez | ND (W) | 4–3 | Seattle Mariners | Jacobs Field‡ |
| 1995** | Dennis Martínez (2) | W | 11–6 | Texas Rangers | Rangers Ballpark in Arlington |
| 1996* | Dennis Martínez (3) | L | 1–7 | New York Yankees | Jacobs Field‡ |
| 1997** | Charles Nagy (3) | ND (W) | 9–7 | Oakland Athletics | Oakland Coliseum |
| 1998* | Charles Nagy (4) | ND (W) | 10–9 | Seattle Mariners | Kingdome |
| 1999* | Jaret Wright | ND (L) | 5–6 | Anaheim Angels | Angel Stadium of Anaheim |
| 2000 | Bartolo Colón | W | 4–1 | Baltimore Orioles | Camden Yards |
| 2001* | Bartolo Colón (2) | L | 4–7 | Chicago White Sox | Jacobs Field‡ |
| 2002 | Bartolo Colón (3) | W | 6–0 | Anaheim Angels | Angel Stadium of Anaheim |
| 2003 | CC Sabathia | ND (L) | 5–6 | Baltimore Orioles | Camden Yards |
| 2004 | CC Sabathia (2) | ND (L) | 4–7 | Minnesota Twins | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| 2005 | Jake Westbrook | L | 0–1 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 2006 | CC Sabathia (3) | ND (L) | 4–10 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 2007* | CC Sabathia (4) | W | 12–5 | Chicago White Sox | Comiskey Park |
| 2008 | CC Sabathia (5) | ND (W) | 10–8 | Chicago White Sox | Progressive Field‡ |
| 2009 | Cliff Lee | L | 1–9 | Texas Rangers | Rangers Ballpark in Arlington |
| 2010 | Jake Westbrook (2) | L | 0–6 | Chicago White Sox | U.S. Cellular Field |
| 2011 | Fausto Carmona | L | 10–15 | Chicago White Sox | Progressive Field‡ |
| 2012 | Justin Masterson | ND (L) | 4–7 | Toronto Blue Jays | Progressive Field‡ |
| 2013* | Justin Masterson (2) | W | 4–1 | Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre |
| 2014 | Justin Masterson (3) | ND (W) | 2–0 | Oakland Athletics | O.co Coliseum |
| 2015 | Corey Kluber | L | 0–2 | Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park |
| 2016** | Corey Kluber (2) | L | 2–6 | Boston Red Sox | Progressive Field‡ |
| 2017* | Corey Kluber (3) | ND (W) | 9–5 | Texas Rangers | Globe Life Park in Arlington |
| 2018* | Corey Kluber (4) | L | 1–2 | Seattle Mariners | Safeco Field |
| 2019 | Corey Kluber (5) | L | 0–2 | Minnesota Twins | Target Field |
| 2020* | Shane Bieber | W | 2–0 | Kansas City Royals | Progressive Field‡ |
| 2021 | Shane Bieber (2) | L | 2–3 | Detroit Tigers | Comerica Park |
| 2022* | Shane Bieber (3) | ND (L) | 1–3 | Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium |
| 2023 | Shane Bieber (4) | ND (L) | 0–3 | Seattle Mariners | T-Mobile Park |
| 2024* | Shane Bieber (5) | W | 8–0 | Oakland Athletics | Oakland Coliseum |