The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National 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 Rockies have used 17 different Opening Daystarting pitchers in their 23 seasons. Since the Rockies' first season in 1993, the 17 starters have a combined Opening Day record of ten wins, seven losses (10–7), and six no decisions. No decisions are only awarded to the starting pitcher if the game is won or lost after the starting pitcher has left the game.[3][4]
Six Rockies pitchers have started on two Opening Days: Kevin Ritz, Darryl Kile, Mike Hampton, Jason Jennings, Aaron Cook, and Ubaldo Jiménez. Kile has the best Opening Day record with two wins and no losses. Armando Reynoso is the only Rockies pitcher to start on Opening Day in Colorado's former home of Mile High Stadium. Rockies starting pitchers have an Opening Day record of four wins, two losses, and one no decision when at home. With the exception of one lost game at Mile High Stadium, the other games were played at Colorado's current home stadium of Coors Field. On the road for Opening Day, Colorado starting pitchers have accumulated a record of six wins, five losses, and five no decisions. The Rockies have a record of one win and two losses on Opening Day for seasons in which they would later go on to participate in post-season play.[3]
The longest Opening Day winning streak for Rockies starting pitchers is three years, when Colorado won in 2004, 2005, and 2006, under three different pitchers, Shawn Estes, Joe Kennedy, and Jason Jennings. Rockies starters have lost twice in two consecutive years, once in 1993 and 1994, and once from 2002 to 2003.[3]
