2024 Opening Day will kick off in Korea when the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres face off in the Seoul Series from March 20-21. The following week, all 30 clubs are slated to play on Opening Day which is Thursday, March 28. Below is the list of every starting pitcher for each team in the first game of the 2024 season.
Opening Day 2024 Starters
Starters Announced
Seoul Series- Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres, 6:05 a.m. ET
Tyler Glasnow (LAD)
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow will start for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they open the season on March 20 in South Korea. Their Game 2 starter will be Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Glasnow, 30, was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and signed him to a five-year, $136.5 million contract extension. Glasnow went 10-7 with a 3.53 ERA in 21 starts for the Rays last season. Glasnow’s first Opening Day start came in 2021 as he allowed one hit across scoreless innings.
Dodgers 2023 Opening Day starter: Julio Urías
Yu Darvish (SD)
This marks Yu Darvish‘s third time in four seasons that he has been the first pitcher on the bump for the San Diego Padres. Joe Musgrove will get the follow the next day. For Darvish, it will be a chance to further distance himself from a year ago. He barely pitched in the World Baseball Classic and spring training, and then a bumpy start to his 2023 campaign occurred. Darvish, 37, finished 8-10 with a 4.56 ERA in 24 starts for the Padres. The five-time All-Star is 103-85 with a 3.59 ERA in 266 starts with the Texas Rangers, Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Padres.
Padres 2023 Opening Day starter: Blake Snell
Milwaukee Brewers at New York Mets, 1:10 p.m. ET
José Quintana (NYM)
After the injury to Kodai Senga, José Quintana became the logical choice to get the Opening Day nod. Quintana didn’t make his New York Mets debut until midway through the 2023 season due to bone graft surgery. He did make 13 starts for the Mets, posting a solid 3.57 ERA AND 60:24 K:BB across 7 2/3 innings. The left-hander is the first southpaw to start on Opening Day for the Mets since Jon Niese in 2013.
Mets 2023 Opening Day starter: Max Scherzer
Freddy Peralta (MIL)
Back in when camps opened, general manager Matt Arnold said Freddy Peralta would get the ball for Opening Day. It marks the right-hander’s first Opening Day assignment and the first time since 2019 that Corbin Burnes or Brandon Woodruff take the mound for Milwaukee’s season opener. Last season, Peralta led the Brewers with 210 strikeouts, won a career-high 12 games, and had a 3.86 ERA in a career-high 30 starts. He held opponents to a .212 batting average as he produced another career-high with 16 quality starts.
Brewers 2023 Opening Day starter: Corbin Burnes
Los Angeles Angels at Baltimore Orioles, 3:05 p.m. ET
Patrick Sandoval (LAA)
Patrick Sandoval will be put up with the task of succeeding Shohei Ohtani as the Los Angeles Angels starter. If Sandoval can play his cards right against the Baltimore Orioles, he’ll do something that no Angels pitcher has done since 2009. Sandoval could be the first Angels left-hander to win on Opening Day since Joe Saunders.
Angels 2023 Opening Day starter: Ohtani
Corbin Burnes (BAL)
Corbin Burnes will be Baltimore’s Opening Day starter on March 28 at Camden Yards. The reigning American League East champion Orioles acquired the right-hander on February 1. Burnes will make his third consecutive Opening Day start after getting the start for the Brewers in each of the past two seasons. In 2022, Burnes allowed three runs in five innings against the Cubs. Last season, he faced the Cubs again, yielding four runs over five innings.
Orioles 2023 Opening Day starter: Kyle Gibson
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies, 3:05 p.m. ET
Spencer Strider (ATL)
No surprise here. Spencer Strider has taken over the Atlanta Braves’ full-time ace role. This comes a season after Strider led all of baseball in wins (20), strikeouts (281), and K/9 (13.5) in 2023. Strider’s first career Opening Day start ends Max Fried‘s active streak of three consecutive Opening Day starts.
Braves 2023 Opening Day starter: Fried
Zack Wheeler (PHI)
With Zack Wheeler getting the nod, it ends Aaron Nola‘s streak of Opening Day starts at six. It’s the third-longest streak in Philadelphia Phillies history, behind Robin Roberts‘ 12(1950-1961) and Steve Carlton‘s 10 (1977-1986). But Wheeler deserves the honor after signing a three-year, $126 million contract extension. The $42 million is the third-highest AAV for any pitcher. Wheeler owns a 43-25 record with a 3.06 ERA in 101 starts since joining the Phillies.
Phillies 2023 Opening Day starter: Nola
Washington Nationals at Cincinnati Reds, 4:10 p.m. ET
Frankie Montas (CIN)
Newcomer Frankie Montas will get the starting nod for Opening Day. This will mark Montas’ third Opening Day assignment, handling the role for the A’s in 2020 and 2022. Hunter Greene, who opened the season last year, will start the second game of the season on March 30. The Cincinnati Reds signed Montas to a one-year, $16 million contract in the offseason. Hopefully, the right-hander can find his game in Cincinnati following a terrible tenure with the New York Yankees. In eight seasons, Montas is 37-35 with a 3.90 ERA in 130 appearances, including 99 starts.
Reds 2023 Opening Day starter: Greene
Josiah Gray (WSH)
Josiah Gray is the first Washington Nationals Opening Day starter who’s not Patrick Corbin (2022-2023), Max Scherzer (2015-2016, 2018-2021) or Stephen Strasburg (2012-2014, 2017). Gray was selected by the team is going up against in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Months later, he was traded to the Dodgers and then to the Nationals to join their starting rotation. Gray made a career-high 30 starts last year in his first All-Star season, going 9-13 with a 3.91 ERA in 159 innings.
Nationals 2023 Opening Day starter: Corbin
St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers, 4:10 p.m. ET
Miles Mikolas (STL)
Sonny Gray is out with a mild right hamstring strain, leaving Miles Mikolas to pitch the St. Louis Cardinals’ opener. Mikolas, 35, has been the clubs most consistent starter this spring, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 16 innings. He is trying to bounce back after a mediocre 2023, leading MLB in hits allowed (226). He is 0-2 in his career as an Opening Day starter, allowing five earned runs in 2019 in Milwaukee and five runs last season at Busch Stadium
Cardinals 2023 Opening Day Starter: Mikolas
Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays, 4:10 p.m. ET
José Berríos (TOR)
The Toronto Blue Jays are dealing with injuries on the mound. Ace Kevin Gausman is ruled out as José Berríos will start on the mound for the Blue Jays. The right-hander has enjoyed a strong spring, posting a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. This will be Berrios’ second Opening Day start with Toronto after taking the mound in 20222 against the Texas Rangers.
Blue Jays 2023 Opening Day starter: Alek Manoah
Zach Eflin (TBR)
Zach Eflin will get the ball for plenty of reasons. He had a great season in 2023, going 16-8 with a 3.50 ERA. Eflin even led the Tampa Bay Rays in innings pitched with 177 2/3. He also tied for the AL lead in wins with 16. He’s the only real option at this point. The Rays’ once-powering rotation will look different with the losses of Jeffrey Springs, Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen who are all dealing with elbow issues.
Rays 2023 Opening Day starter: McClanahan
Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals, 4:10 p.m. ET
Pablo López (MIN)
Minnesota will turn to Pablo López for his consecutive Opening Day start. López will be the fifth different Twins pitcher to start Opening Day for Minnesota in back-to-back seasons since 2006. He joins José Berríos, Ervin Santana, Carl Pavano and Johan Santana. After being acquired from the Miami Marlins in a trade that sent Luis Arráez to Miami, Lopez posted a 10-8 record in 2023 with a 3.81 ERA. He pitched 175 innings while striking out 192 batters. With Sonny Gray with the St. Louis Cardinals, López figures to be the Twins ace for the foreseeable future.
Twins 2023 Opening Day starter: López
Cole Ragans (KC)
Cole Ragans will be the Kansas City Royals starter. It’s the 26-year-old’s first Opening Day nod after the Royals acquired him last June. The Royals were eager for Ragans as he was drafted in the first round in the 2016 MLB Draft out of North Florida Christian High School. In 12 starts with the Royals last year, Ragans posted a 2.64 ERA across 71 2/3 innings with a 31.1% strikeout rate and a 9.4% walk rate.
Royals 2023 Opening Day starter: Zack Greinke
Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox 4:10 p.m. ET
Tarik Skubal (DET)
It was no surprise when Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch announced Tarik Skubal as the Opening Day starter. What the Tigers saw last season from Skubal was ace-like stuff. In 15 starts, his 3.3 fWAR after his July 4 return was the best among all MLB pitchers. His 32.9% strikeout rate was fourth in the league. His ERA ranked sixth, and his 2.00 FIP was the league’s best in that time frame. Skubal is only 27 and the Tigers hope this can be the year he emerges to the rest of the league.
Tigers Opening Day 2023 starter: Eduardo Rodríguez
Garrett Crochet (CWS)
A converted leader who has yet to make a big-league start, Garrett Crochet is a bold choice here. The Chicago White Sox moved on from Dylan Cease last week as they are in complete rebuild mode. Crochet, who missed all of 2022, made 13 relief appearances in 2023 due to left shoulder inflammation.
White Sox 2023 Opening Day starter: Cease
Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins, 4:10 p.m. ET
Mitch Keller (PIT)
Mitch Keller will be the first Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to start consecutive Opening Days since Francisco Liriano started three straight from 2014-2016. Keller, 27, will be the youngest Pirates starter to do so in two straight years since Óliver Pérez in 2005-2006. With his new deal, Keller will be the veteran of a young rotation for years to come. Young arms like Roansy Contreras, Luis Ortiz and Quinn Priester are competing for Opening Day starter jobs. The group will become younger when Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mike Burrows break through to the majors.
Pirates 2023 Opening Day Starter: Keller
Jesús Luzardo (MIA)
Hometown kid Jesús Luzardo will counter with Keller on Opening Day. It was an easy decision for manager Skip Schumaker and his staff. Luzardo stepped up when Sandy Alcántara went down last September. Since then, he has continued to look like an ace early this spring. In 2022, Luzardo missed time with a left forearm strain but posted a 124 ERA+ in 18 starts. He broke out in 2022, finishing eighth in fWAR and ERA among NL qualifying starters. Luzardo also set the single-season franchise record for a left-hander with 208 strikeouts.
Marlins 2023 Opening Day Starter: Sandy Alcántara
San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres, 4:10 p.m. ET
Logan Webb (SF)
The 202 NL Cy Young award runner-up is now teammates with the incumbent. Other than that, this is Logan Webb‘s third straight Opening Day start. It makes him the first Giant to do so since Madison Bumgarner’s streak of four in a row from 2014-2017. Last season, Webb started in the 2023 opener as he tallied 12 strikeouts, a new franchise record for Opening Day.
Giants 2023 Opening Day starter: Webb
New York Yankees at Houston Astros, 4:10 p.m. ET
Nestor Cortes (NYY)
Nestor Cortes will toe the rubber when the New York Yankees begin their season against the Houston Astros. The southpaw fills the void left by Gerrit Cole, who miss the next month or two as he recovers from an elbow injury. Manager Aaron Boone ruled out Carlos Rodón and Marcus Stroman as Opening Day options, citing it was too late to change their spring schedules. Cortes had a breakout campaign in 2022, becoming a Yankee favorite and All-Star but struggled in 12 starts last year. If Cortes can find his form from 2022, it will make a huge difference for the Yankees rotation without their ace.
Yankees 2023 Opening Day starter: Cole
Framber Valdez (HOU)
Framber Valdez‘s third consecutive Opening Day start ties him with Dallas Keuchel (2015-2017) for the most by a left-hander in club history. Valdez will get his shot after making the All-Star team in 2023 and going 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA despite faltering in the second half. After going 7-6 with a 2.51 ERA in his first 17 starts, Valdez went 5-5 with a 4.66 ERA in his final 14 starts, which included a no-hitter on August 1.
Astros 2023 Opening Day starter: Valdez
Chicago Cubs at Texas Rangers, 7:35 p.m. ET
Justin Steele (CHI)
Justin Steele is slated to throw the first pitch of the Chicago Cubs season. Steele features one of the most unique fastballs in the game that pairs with a devastating slider. It helped him have a strong debut in 2021, converting to a starter in 2022. His true breakout came last summer when he posted a 3.06 ERA in 173 1/3 innings, finishing fifth in the National League Cy Young Award voting. Steele is the first homegrown Cubs Opening Day starter since Jeff Samardzija.
Cubs 2023 Opening Day starter: Marcus Stroman
Nathan Eovaldi (TEX)
The Texas Rangers will have a 14th starter on Opening Day in the last 15 seasons. Nathan Eovaldi started three straight openers for the Boston Red Sox from 2020-2022.
Rangers 2023 Opening Day starter: Jacob deGrom
Cleveland Guardians at Oakland Athletics, 10:07 p.m. ET
Shane Bieber (CLE)
This will be Shane Bieber‘s fifth straight Opening Day start. Bieber has posted a 1.19 ERA with 33 strikeouts across 22 2/3 innings in his first four tries. The right-hander now takes sole possession of the longest active streak of Opening Day starts.
Guardians 2023 Opening Day starter: Bieber
Alex Wood (OAK)
This might be the last Opening Day event for the Oakland Athletics in the Bay Area. They will roll with Alex Wood, who came in a trade from their crosstown rivals. However, the A’s are in a bit of a turnover/rebuild situation in terms of the Opening Day starter role. Sonny Gray and Kendall Graveman have had multiple starts to open the season since 2010.
Athletics 2023 Opening Day starter: Kyle Muller
Colorado Rockies at Arizona Diamondbacks, 10:10 p.m. ET
Kyle Freeland (COL)
It’s Kyle Freeland‘s third shot at Opening Day. This will tie him with teammate German Márquez for the franchise lead. Freeland has shown mixed results in his first two tries. He threw seven innings of a one-run ball game against the Marlins in 2019. That followed with a rough outing against the Dodgers ( 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 6 K).
Rockies 2023 Opening Day starter: Márquez
Zac Gallen (ARI)
It’s the second straight Opening Day start for Zac Gallen. The right-hander is coming off an All-Star season where he boasted a 17-9 record with a 3.47 ERA in 34 starts. He struck out 9.4 batters per nine innings and allowed 22 home runs while striking out 220 batters. Gallen finished third in NL Cy Young voting.
D-Backs 2023 Opening Day starter: Gallen
Boston Red Sox at Seattle Mariners, 10:10 p.m. ET
Brayan Bello (BOS)
The Boston Red Sox have named Brayan Bello to start on Opening Day. It’s been a fun month for Bello, who recently signed a six-year, $55 million contract extension. In his first full season in the majors, Bello went 12-11 with a 4.24 ERA in 28 starts.
Red Sox 2023 Opening Day starter: Corey Kluber
Luis Castillo (SEA)
Luis Castillo is back for his second consecutive Opening Day start for the Seattle Mariners. His first two were with the Cincinnati Reds in 2019 and 2020. In last year’s opening start, the right-hander allowed one hit in six innings with no walks and six strikeouts in a 3-0 victory against the Cleveland Guardians.
Mariners 2023 Opening Days starter: Castillo
Main Photo: © Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
