List of Montreal Expos Opening Day starting pitchers
The
Steve Rogers holds the team record for most Opening Day starts with nine, and has an Opening Day record of 2–4, with three no-decisions. All of Rogers's Opening Day starts were on the road. Liván Hernández is the only pitcher to have made Opening Day starts for both the Expos (in 2004) and Nationals (2005, 2006, and 2011).[3]
For their first 19 Opening Day games, early season cold weather kept the Expos on the road. In 1988, the availability of Olympic Stadium and its retractable roof allowed the team to have its first Opening Day home game, in which Dennis Martínez was the starting pitcher.[4] The Expos never played on Opening Day in Jarry Park Stadium, their home from 1969 to 1976. Olympic Stadium, their home from 1977 to 2004, hosted six Opening Day games; five Expos starters accumulated a record of 0–3 (and three no-decisions).
The franchise's only playoff experience was in the strike-shortened 1981 season. In a special format created for that season, the Expos were the second-half champion, with a 30–23 record. The team won the NL Division Series to become Eastern Division champions, winning three games to two over Philadelphia Phillies who had been the first-half champion with a 34–21 record.[5] In 1981, Opening Day pitcher Steve Rogers faced Phillies ace Steve Carlton and won the first game of the series by a score of 3–1.[6] The Expos then lost the NL Championship Series to the first-half Western Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers three games to two on a ninth-inning home run in Game 5 by Rick Monday.[7]
Key
Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Expos season. |
W | Win |
L | Loss |
ND (W) | No decision for starter; Expos won game |
ND (L) | No decision for starter; Expos lost game |
Final Score |
Game score with Expos runs listed first |
Location | Stadium in bold for home game |
Pitcher (#) | Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Expos |
* | Advanced to the NLCS |
Pitchers
† The scheduled Opening Day starter for April 1, 1996, was Pedro Martínez. Due to the death of umpire John McSherry, the game was postponed. Jeff Fassero then started the April 2 makeup game.[44]
References
- ^ Bastian, Jordan (March 22, 2010). "Marcum tapped for Jays' Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ Dilbeck, Steve (February 24, 2014). "Dodgers may not start Clayton Kershaw in Sydney". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- ^ a b Durso, Joseph. "Unlike '87, Gooden Will Open Season", The New York Times, April 4, 1988. Accessed October 7, 2008. "Because of the cold spring weather, the Expos have customarily spent the first couple of weeks of the season on the road ever since they joined the National League 19 years ago. But Olympic Stadium now has its retractable fabric roof in place, and the Expos at last have the luxury of opening at home."
- ^ Durso, Joseph. "EXPOS OUST PHILLIES, 3-0", The New York Times, October 12, 1981. Accessed October 8, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 8, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 8, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 7, 2008.
- The Orlando Sentinel. April 2, 1996. p. 31. Retrieved May 1, 2018 – via newspapers.com.