List of Houston Astros Opening Day starting pitchers

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Roy Oswalt, the Houston Astros Opening Day starting pitcher for eight straight years, from 2003 through 2010.

The

Houston, Texas. They currently play in the American League West division. 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,[1] though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.[2]

The Astros began to play in 1962 as the Houston Colt .45s (their name was changed to the Astros in 1965 when the

ball park).[3] Bobby Shantz started their first Opening Day game on April 10, 1962, against the Chicago Cubs at Houston's Colt Stadium and was credited with the win.[4] In their first eight seasons, the Colt .45s / Astros used eight different Opening Day starters. In 1970, that streak ended when Larry Dierker made his second Opening Day start.[4]

Roy Oswalt has made the most Opening Day starts for the Astros, with eight such starts from 2003 through 2010.[4][5][6] Three different pitchers have each made five Opening Day starts for the Astros: J. R. Richard (1976–1980), Mike Scott (1987–1991) and Shane Reynolds (1996–2000). Dierker made four Opening Day starts for the Astros, and Joe Niekro and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan made three apiece.[4] Dierker has the best record in Opening Day starts with four wins and no losses. Niekro and Don Wilson share the worst record in Opening Day starts with no wins and two losses each. Niekro also had one no decision.[4]

The Houston Astros have used 27 different

Enron Field (subsequently renamed Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) in Downtown Houston. Through 2024, they have played seventeen Opening Day games there and have seen Astros starters go 8–4 with five no decisions (8–9 overall). This makes the record of the Astros' Opening Day starting pitchers in home games 21 wins, 13 losses and ten no decisions (23–21 overall). Their record in Opening Day away games is nine wins, eight losses and two no decisions (10–9 overall).[4] The Astros have advanced to the World Series four times.[8] In 2022, they set a modern Major League Baseball record by winning on Opening Day for the tenth straight season.[9]

Key

The Houston Astros played 25 Opening Day games in the Astrodome between 1965 and 1999.
Season Each year is linked to an article about that particular Colt .45s / Astros season.
W Win
L Loss
ND (W) No decision by starting pitcher; Astros won game
ND (L) No decision by starting pitcher; Astros lost game
Final score Game score with Colt .45s / Astros runs listed first
Location Stadium in italics for home game
Pitcher (#) Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Colt .45s / Astros
* Advanced to the post-season
** NL Champions
*** AL Champions
† World Series Champions

Pitchers

Nolan Ryan made three Opening Day starts for the Astros.
ball park
, and the Astros have played seventeen Opening Day games there through 2024.
Season Pitcher Decision Final
score 		Opponent Location Ref(s)
1962 Bobby Shantz W 11–2 Chicago Cubs Colt Stadium [10]
1963 Turk Farrell L 2–9 San Francisco Giants Colt Stadium [11]
1964 Ken Johnson W 6–3 Cincinnati Reds Crosley Field [12]
1965 Bob Bruce L 0–2 Philadelphia Phillies Astrodome [13]
1966 Robin Roberts L 2–3 Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium [14]
1967 Mike Cuellar W 6–1 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [15]
1968 Larry Dierker W 5–4 Pittsburgh Pirates Astrodome [16]
1969 Don Wilson L 1–2 San Diego Padres San Diego Stadium [17]
1970 Larry Dierker (2) W 8–5 San Francisco Giants Candlestick Park [18]
1971 Larry Dierker (3) W 5–2 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [19]
1972 Don Wilson (2) L 0–5 San Francisco Giants Astrodome [20]
1973 Dave Roberts ND (W) 2–1 Atlanta Braves Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium [21]
1974 Dave Roberts (2) L 1–5 San Francisco Giants Candlestick Park [22]
1975 Larry Dierker (4) W 6–2 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [23]
1976
J.R. Richard
 		L 5–11 Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium [24]
1977
J.R. Richard
 (2) 		ND (W) 3–2 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [25]
1978
J.R. Richard
 (3) 		L 9–11 Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium [26]
1979
J.R. Richard
 (4) 		W 2–1 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [27]
1980*
J.R. Richard
 (5) 		W 3–2 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [28]
1981* Joe Niekro L 0–2 Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium [29]
1982 Nolan Ryan L 3–14 St. Louis Cardinals Astrodome [30]
1983 Joe Niekro (2) ND (L) 7–16 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [31]
1984 Joe Niekro (3) L 2–4 Montreal Expos Astrodome [32]
1985 Nolan Ryan (2) W 2–1 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [33]
1986* Nolan Ryan (3) L 3–8 San Francisco Giants Astrodome [34]
1987 Mike Scott W 4–3 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [35]
1988 Mike Scott (2) W 6–3 San Diego Padres Astrodome [36]
1989 Mike Scott (3) W 10–3 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [37]
1990 Mike Scott (4) ND (L) 4–8 Cincinnati Reds Astrodome [38]
1991 Mike Scott (5) L 2–6 Cincinnati Reds Riverfront Stadium [39]
1992 Pete Harnisch L 0–2 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [40]
1993 Doug Drabek L 1–3 Philadelphia Phillies Astrodome [41]
1994 Pete Harnisch (2) ND (W) 6–5 Montreal Expos Astrodome [42]
1995 Doug Drabek (2) W 10–2 San Diego Padres
Jack Murphy Stadium
 [43]
1996 Shane Reynolds L 3–4 Los Angeles Dodgers Astrodome [44]
1997* Shane Reynolds (2) W 2–1 Atlanta Braves Astrodome [45]
1998* Shane Reynolds (3) ND (L) 4–9 San Francisco Giants Astrodome [46]
1999* Shane Reynolds (4) W 4–2 Chicago Cubs Astrodome [47]
2000 Shane Reynolds (5) W 5–2 Pittsburgh Pirates Three Rivers Stadium [48]
2001* Scott Elarton W 11–3 Milwaukee Brewers
Enron Field
 		[49][50]
2002 Wade Miller L 3–9 Milwaukee Brewers
Astros Field
 		[51][52]
2003 Roy Oswalt W 10–4 Colorado Rockies
Minute Maid Park
 		[53][54]
2004* Roy Oswalt (2) ND (L) 4–5 San Francisco Giants
Minute Maid Park
 		[55][56]
2005** Roy Oswalt (3) L 3–7 St. Louis Cardinals
Minute Maid Park
 		[57][58]
2006 Roy Oswalt (4) W 1–0
Florida Marlins
Minute Maid Park
 		[59][60]
2007 Roy Oswalt (5) ND (L) 2–4 Pittsburgh Pirates
Minute Maid Park
 		[61][62]
2008 Roy Oswalt (6) L 0–4 San Diego Padres Petco Park [63][64]
2009 Roy Oswalt (7) L 2–4 Chicago Cubs
Minute Maid Park
 		[5]
2010 Roy Oswalt (8) L 2–5 San Francisco Giants
Minute Maid Park
 		[6]
2011 Brett Myers ND (L) 4–5 Philadelphia Phillies Citizens Bank Park [65]
2012
Wandy Rodriguez
 		ND (L) 4–5 Colorado Rockies
Minute Maid Park
 		[66]
2013 Bud Norris W 8–2 Texas Rangers
Minute Maid Park
 		[67]
2014 Scott Feldman W 6–2 New York Yankees
Minute Maid Park
 		[68]
2015* Dallas Keuchel W 2–0
Cleveland Indians
Minute Maid Park
 		[69]
2016 Dallas Keuchel (2) W 5–3 New York Yankees Yankee Stadium [70]
2017† Dallas Keuchel (3) W 3–0 Seattle Mariners
Minute Maid Park
 		[71]
2018* Justin Verlander W 4–1 Texas Rangers
Globe Life Park
 [72]
2019*** Justin Verlander (2) W 5–1 Tampa Bay Rays Tropicana Field [73]
2020* Justin Verlander (3) W 8–2 Seattle Mariners
Minute Maid Park
 		[74]
2021*** Zack Greinke W 8–1 Oakland Athletics RingCentral Coliseum [75]
2022† Framber Valdez W 3–1 Los Angeles Angels Angel Stadium [76]
2023* Framber Valdez (2) ND (L) 2–3 Chicago White Sox
Minute Maid Park
 		[77]
2024* Framber Valdez (3) ND (L) 4–5 New York Yankees
Minute Maid Park
 		[78]
2025 Framber Valdez (4) W 3–1 New York Mets Daikin Park [79]

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