# List of Chicago Cubs Opening Day starting pitchers

The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Chicago that plays in the National League Central division. In the history of the franchise, it has also played under the names Chicago White Stockings, Chicago Colts and Chicago Orphans. 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 Cubs have used 68 different starting pitchers on Opening Day since they first became a Major League team in 1876. The Cubs have a record of 74 wins, 60 losses and 2 ties in their Opening Day games.
The Cubs have played in seven different home ball parks. They have played at their current home, Wrigley Field, since 1916. They have a record of 22 wins, 21 losses and 1 tie in Opening Day games at Wrigley Field. They had an Opening Day record of six wins, one loss and one tie at their other home ball parks, for a total home record in Opening Day games of 28 wins, 22 losses and 2 ties. Their record in Opening Day away games is 46 wins and 38 losses.
Ferguson Jenkins holds the Cubs record for most Opening Day starts with seven, in which his record was two wins, two losses and three no decisions. Carlos Zambrano has made six Opening Day starts. Larry Corcoran, Clark Griffith, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Charlie Root and Rick Sutcliffe have each made five Opening Day starts for the Cubs. Orval Overall, Lon Warneke, Bob Rush, Larry Jackson and Rick Reuschel each made four Opening Day starts for the Cubs, and Bill Hutchison, Jon Lieber, Ray Burris, Claude Passeau, Jack Taylor and Hippo Vaughn each made three such starts.
Five Cubs' Opening Day starting pitchers have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Griffith, Alexander, Jenkins, Al Spalding and John Clarkson. In addition, 300–game winner Greg Maddux was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher in 1992. The Cubs have won the modern World Series championship three times,in 1907, 1908 and 2016. Overall was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher both seasons of 1907 and 1908 and the Cubs won both of those Opening Day games. Don Cardwell was the Cubs' Opening Day starting pitcher against the Houston Colt .45s on April 10, 1962, the first game in Houston's history. The Cubs lost the game by a score of 11–2.

## Key

| Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Cubs season. |
| W | Win |
| L | Loss |
| T | Tie game |
| ND (W) | No decision by starting pitcher; Cubs won game |
| ND (L) | No decision by starting pitcher; Cubs lost game |
| (W) | Cubs won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision |
| (L) | Cubs lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decision |
| Final score | Game score with Cubs runs listed first |
| Location | Stadium in italics for home game |
| (#) | Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Cubs |
| * | Advanced to the post-season |
| ** | National League Champions |
| † | World Series Champions |

## Pitchers

| Season | Pitcher | Decision | Final score | Opponent | Location |
| 1876** | Al Spalding | (W) | 4–0 | Louisville Grays | Louisville Baseball Park |
| 1877 | George Bradley | (W) | 6–5 | Hartford Dark Blues | 23rd Street Grounds |
| 1878 | Terry Larkin | (W) | 5–4 | Indianapolis Blues | South Street Park |
| 1879 | Terry Larkin (2) | (W) | 4–3 | Syracuse Stars | Lake Front Park |
| 1880** | Larry Corcoran | (W) | 4–3 | Cincinnati Reds | Bank Street Grounds |
| 1881** | Larry Corcoran (2) | (W) | 8–5 | Cleveland Spiders | Lake Front Park |
| 1882** | Larry Corcoran (3) | L | 5–7 | Buffalo Bisons | Riverside Grounds |
| 1883 | Fred Goldsmith | (W) | 7–4 | Detroit Wolverines | Recreation Park |
| 1884 | Larry Corcoran (4) | (L) | 3–15 | New York Gothams | Polo Grounds |
| 1885** | Larry Corcoran (5) | L | 2–3 | St. Louis Maroons | Union Grounds |
| 1886** | John Clarkson | (W) | 6–5 | Kansas City Cowboys | Association Park |
| 1887 | John Clarkson (2) | (L) | 2–6 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Recreation Park |
| 1888 | George Van Haltren | W | 5–4 | Indianapolis Hoosiers | Seventh Street Park |
| 1889 | Bill Hutchison | (L) | 5–8 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Recreation Park |
| 1890 | Bill Hutchison (2) | (W) | 5–4 | Cincinnati Reds | League Park |
| 1891 | Pat Luby | (W) | 7–6 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Exposition Park |
| 1892 | Ad Gumbert | (W) | 14–10 | St. Louis Browns | Sportsman's Park |
| 1893 | Willie McGill | (L) | 1–10 | Cincinnati Reds | League Park |
| 1894 | Bill Hutchison (3) | (L) | 6–10 | Cincinnati Reds | League Park |
| 1895 | Clark Griffith | (W) | 10–7 | St. Louis Browns | Robison Field |
| 1896 | Danny Friend | (W) | 4–2 | Louisville Colonels | Eclipse Park |
| 1897 | Clark Griffith (2) | L | 7–8 | Cincinnati Reds | League Park |
| 1898 | Clark Griffith (3) | (W) | 2–1 | St. Louis Browns | Robison Field |
| 1899 | Clark Griffith (4) | (W) | 15–1 | Louisville Colonels | Eclipse Park |
| 1900 | Clark Griffith (5) | (W) | 13–10 | Cincinnati Reds | League Park |
| 1901 | Jack Taylor | (W) | 8–7 | St. Louis Cardinals | Robison Field |
| 1902 | Jack Taylor (2) | W | 6–1 | Cincinnati Reds | Palace of the Fans |
| 1903 | Jack Taylor (3) | L | 1–2 | St. Louis Cardinals | Robison Field |
| 1904 | Jake Weimer | (L) | 2–3 | Cincinnati Reds | Palace of the Fans |
| 1905 | Carl Lundgren | (W) | 6–1 | St. Louis Cardinals | Robison Field |
| 1906** | Carl Lundgren (2) | (W) | 7–2 | Cincinnati Reds | Palace of the Fans |
| 1907$^†$ | Orval Overall | (W) | 6–1 | St. Louis Cardinals | West Side Park II |
| 1908$^†$ | Orval Overall (2) | (W) | 6–5 | Cincinnati Reds | Palace of the Fans |
| 1909 | Orval Overall (3) | (W) | 3–1 | St. Louis Cardinals | West Side Park II |
| 1910** | Orval Overall (4) | (L) | 0–1 | Cincinnati Reds | Palace of the Fans |
| 1911 | Ed Reulbach | T | 3–3 | St. Louis Cardinals | West Side Park II |
| 1912 | King Cole | (L) | 6–10 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1913 | Jimmy Lavender | (L) | 3–5 | St. Louis Cardinals | West Side Park II |
| 1914 | Larry Cheney | (L) | 1–10 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1915 | Hippo Vaughn | (W) | 7–2 | St. Louis Cardinals | West Side Park II |
| 1916 | George McConnell | (W) | 7–1 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1917 | Hippo Vaughn (2) | (W) | 5–3 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1918** | Grover Cleveland Alexander | (L) | 2–4 | St. Louis Cardinals | Robison Field |
| 1919 | Hippo Vaughn (3) | (W) | 5–1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1920 | Grover Cleveland Alexander (2) | (L) | 3–7 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1921 | Grover Cleveland Alexander (3) | W | 5–2 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1922 | Grover Cleveland Alexander (4) | W | 7–3 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1923 | Tiny Osborne | L | 2–3 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1924 | Vic Aldridge | L | 5–6 | St. Louis Cardinals | Sportsman's Park |
| 1925 | Grover Cleveland Alexander (5) | W | 8–2 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1926 | Wilbur Cooper | ND (L) | 6–7 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1927 | Charley Root | W | 10–1 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1928 | Charley Root (2) | L | 1–5 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1929** | Charley Root (3) | L | 3–4 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1930 | Sheriff Blake | W | 9–8 | St. Louis Cardinals | Sportsman's Park |
| 1931 | Charley Root (4) | W | 6–2 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1932** | Charley Root (5) | (L) | 4–5 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1933 | Lon Warneke | W | 3–0 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1934 | Lon Warneke (2) | W | 6–0 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1935** | Lon Warneke (3) | W | 4–3 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1936 | Lon Warneke (4) | W | 12–7 | St. Louis Cardinals | Sportsman's Park |
| 1937 | Larry French | (L) | 0–5 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1938** | Clay Bryant | ND (W) | 3–2 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1939 | Bill Lee | W | 4–2 | St. Louis Cardinals | Sportsman's Park |
| 1940 | Bill Lee (2) | (L) | 1–2 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1941 | Claude Passeau | W | 7–4 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1942 | Claude Passeau (2) | W | 5–4 | St. Louis Cardinals | Sportsman's Park |
| 1943 | Paul Derringer | (L) | 0–6 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1944 | Hank Wyse | W | 3–0 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1945** | Paul Derringer (2) | W | 3–2 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1946 | Claude Passeau (3) | ND (W) | 4–3 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1947 | Hank Borowy | (L) | 0–1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1948 | Russ Meyer | (L) | 2–3 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Forbes Field |
| 1949 | Dutch Leonard | (L) | 9–6 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1950 | Johnny Schmitz | ND (W) | 9–6 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1951 | Frank Hiller | ND (W) | 8–3 | Cincinnati Reds | Wrigley Field |
| 1952 | Paul Minner | ND (W) | 6–5 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1953 | Bob Rush | W | 3–2 | Cincinnati Reds | Wrigley Field |
| 1954 | Paul Minner (2) | W | 13–4 | St. Louis Cardinals | Sportsman's Park |
| 1955 | Bob Rush (2) | ND (W) | 7–5 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1956 | Bob Rush (3) | L | 0–6 | Milwaukee Braves | County Stadium |
| 1957 | Bob Rush (4) | L | 1–4 | Milwaukee Braves | Wrigley Field |
| 1958 | Jim Brosnan | W | 4–0 | St. Louis Cardinals | Sportsman's Park |
| 1959 | Bob Anderson | W | 6–2 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Wrigley Field |
| 1960 | Bob Anderson (2) | ND (L) | 2–3 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
| 1961 | Glen Hobbie | L | 1–7 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1962 | Don Cardwell | L | 2–11 | Houston Colt .45s | Colt Stadium |
| 1963 | Larry Jackson | L | 1–5 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Wrigley Field |
| 1964 | Larry Jackson (2) | W | 8–4 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Forbes Field |
| 1965 | Larry Jackson (3) | T | 10–10 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1966 | Larry Jackson (4) | L | 1–9 | San Francisco Giants | Candlestick Park |
| 1967 | Ferguson Jenkins | W | 4–2 | Philadelphia Phillies | Wrigley Field |
| 1968 | Joe Niekro | L | 4–9 | Cincinnati Reds | Crosley Field |
| 1969 | Ferguson Jenkins (2) | ND (W) | 7–6 | Philadelphia Phillies | Wrigley Field |
| 1970 | Ferguson Jenkins (3) | L | 0–2 | Philadelphia Phillies | Connie Mack Stadium |
| 1971 | Ferguson Jenkins (4) | W | 2–1 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1972 | Ferguson Jenkins (5) | ND (L) | 2–4 | Philadelphia Phillies | Wrigley Field |
| 1973 | Ferguson Jenkins (6) | ND (W) | 3–2 | Montreal Expos | Wrigley Field |
| 1974 | Bill Bonham | W | 2–0 | Philadelphia Phillies | Wrigley Field |
| 1975 | Bill Bonham (2) | ND (L) | 4–8 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1976 | Ray Burris | L | 0–5 | St. Louis Cardinals | Busch Stadium |
| 1977 | Ray Burris (2) | L | 3–5 | New York Mets | Wrigley Field |
| 1978 | Rick Reuschel | L | 0–1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Three Rivers Stadium |
| 1979 | Rick Reuschel (2) | L | 6–10 | New York Mets | Wrigley Field |
| 1980 | Rick Reuschel (3) | L | 2–5 | New York Mets | Shea Stadium |
| 1981 | Rick Reuschel (4) | L | 0–2 | New York Mets | Wrigley Field |
| 1982 | Doug Bird | W | 3–2 | Cincinnati Reds | Riverfront Stadium |
| 1983 | Ferguson Jenkins (7) | L | 0–3 | Montreal Expos | Wrigley Field |
| 1984* | Dick Ruthven | W | 5–3 | San Francisco Giants | Candlestick Park |
| 1985 | Rick Sutcliffe | W | 2–1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 1986 | Rick Sutcliffe (2) | L | 1–2 | St. Louis Cardinals | Busch Stadium |
| 1987 | Rick Sutcliffe (3) | L | 3–9 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1988 | Rick Sutcliffe (4) | ND (W) | 10–9 | Atlanta Braves | Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium |
| 1989* | Rick Sutcliffe (5) | W | 5–4 | Philadelphia Phillies | Wrigley Field |
| 1990 | Mike Bielecki | ND (W) | 2–1 | Philadelphia Phillies | Wrigley Field |
| 1991 | Danny Jackson | L | 1–4 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 1992 | Greg Maddux | W | 4–3 | Philadelphia Phillies | Veterans Stadium |
| 1993 | Mike Morgan | L | 0–1 | Atlanta Braves | Wrigley Field |
| 1994 | Mike Morgan (2) | L | 8–12 | New York Mets | Wrigley Field |
| 1995 | Jim Bullinger | W | 7–1 | Cincinnati Reds | Riverfront Stadium |
| 1996 | Jaime Navarro | W | 5–4 | San Diego Padres | Wrigley Field |
| 1997 | Terry Mulholland | L | 2–4 | Florida Marlins | Pro Player Stadium |
| 1998* | Kevin Tapani | L | 6–11 | Florida Marlins | Pro Player Stadium |
| 1999 | Steve Trachsel | L | 2–4 | Houston Astros | Astrodome |
| 2000 | Jon Lieber | W | 5–3 | New York Mets | Tokyo Dome |
| 2001 | Jon Lieber (2) | ND (L) | 4–5 | Montreal Expos | Wrigley Field |
| 2002 | Jon Lieber (3) | ND (L) | 4–5 | Cincinnati Reds | Cinergy Field |
| 2003* | Kerry Wood | W | 15–2 | New York Mets | Shea Stadium |
| 2004 | Kerry Wood (2) | W | 7–4 | Cincinnati Reds | Great American Ball Park |
| 2005 | Carlos Zambrano | ND (W) | 16–6 | Arizona Diamondbacks | Bank One Ballpark |
| 2006 | Carlos Zambrano (2) | ND (W) | 16–7 | Cincinnati Reds | Great American Ball Park |
| 2007* | Carlos Zambrano (3) | L | 1–5 | Cincinnati Reds | Great American Ball Park |
| 2008* | Carlos Zambrano (4) | ND (L) | 3–4 | Milwaukee Brewers | Wrigley Field |
| 2009 | Carlos Zambrano (5) | W | 4–2 | Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park |
| 2010 | Carlos Zambrano (6) | L | 5–16 | Atlanta Braves | Turner Field |
| 2011 | Ryan Dempster | L | 3–6 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 2012 | Ryan Dempster (2) | ND | 1–2 | Washington Nationals | Wrigley Field |
| 2013 | Jeff Samardzija | W | 3–1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | PNC Park |
| 2014 | Jeff Samardzija (2) | ND (L) | 0–1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | PNC Park |
| 2015* | Jon Lester | L | 0–3 | St. Louis Cardinals | Wrigley Field |
| 2016† | Jake Arrieta | W | 9–0 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Angel Stadium |
| 2017* | Jon Lester (2) | ND (L) | 3–4 | St. Louis Cardinals | Busch Stadium |
| 2018 | Jon Lester (3) | ND (W) | 8–4 | Miami Marlins | Marlins Park |
| 2019 | Jon Lester (4) | W | 12–4 | Texas Rangers | Globe Life Park in Arlington |
| 2020 | Kyle Hendricks | W | 3–0 | Milwaukee Brewers | Wrigley Field |
| 2021 | Kyle Hendricks (2) | L | 3–5 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wrigley Field |
| 2022 | Kyle Hendricks (3) | ND (W) | 5–4 | Milwaukee Brewers | Wrigley Field |
| 2023 | Marcus Stroman | W | 4–0 | Milwaukee Brewers | Wrigley Field |
| 2024 | Justin Steele | ND (L) | 3–4 | Texas Rangers | Globe Life Field |
| 2025 | Shota Imanaga | ND (L) | 1–4 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Tokyo Dome |