List of Lehigh Valley IronPigs Opening Day starting pitchers
{{Short description|None}}
{{Article for deletion/dated|page=List of Lehigh Valley IronPigs Opening Day starting pitchers|timestamp=20250501234147|year=2025|month=May|day=1|substed=yes|help=off}}
File:Moss at the plate (5613372345).jpg (batting) against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Opening Day (2011).]]
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs Minor League Baseball team has played in Allentown, Pennsylvania, since being established in 2008 as members of the Triple-A International League.{{cite news |last1=Lieberman |first1=Randy |title=Have a ball with two AAA teams near the Poconos |url=https://www.poconorecord.com/story/entertainment/local/2008/07/04/have-ball-with-two-aaa/52354974007/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Pocono Record |date=July 4, 2008}}{{cite news |title=Lehigh Valley unveils IronPigs |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-144028 |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Minor League Baseball |date=November 13, 2006}} They have been affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies since their inception. With the restructuring of the minor leagues in 2021, they were placed in the Triple-A East, which became the International League again in 2022.{{cite web|last=Mayo|first=Jonathan|title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|website=Major League Baseball|date=February 12, 2021|access-date=February 12, 2021|archive-date=March 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306212148/https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=March 16, 2022|archive-date=March 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325180745/https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|url-status=live}} The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starting pitcher is an honor which is given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season,{{cite web|first=Jordan|last=Bastian|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100322&content_id=8868046&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Marcum Tapped for Jays' Opening Day|website=Major League Baseball|date=March 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105103440/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100322&content_id=8868046&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|archive-date=November 5, 2012|access-date=November 14, 2018}} though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.{{cite web|first=Steve|last=Dilbeck|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-clayton-kershaw-sydney-20140224-story.html#axzz2uMohA5cD|title=Dodgers May Not Start Clayton Kershaw in Sydney|work=Los Angeles Times|date=February 24, 2014|access-date=November 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115030825/http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-clayton-kershaw-sydney-20140224-story.html#axzz2uMohA5cD|archive-date=November 15, 2018|url-status=live}} The IronPigs have used 14 different Opening Day starters in their 16 seasons.{{cite web |title=2024 Lehigh Valley IronPigs Media Guide |url=https://img.mlbstatic.com/milb-images/image/upload/milb/g4jly7nntmeeytqtplez.pdf |website=img.mlbstatic.com/ |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=22 March 2025}}
Lehigh Valley's first Opening Day game was played against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees at PNC Field in Moosic, Pennsylvania, on April 3, 2008. J. A. Happ was their starting pitcher that day; he took the loss in a game the IronPigs lost, 4–0. Their first Opening Day game held at home was an 11–3 loss, again, against the Yankees at Coca-Cola Park on April 9, 2009. Starter Kyle Kendrick received a no-decision during the loss.{{cite news |last1=McNaughton |first1=Adam |title=New baseball team IronPigs begins season in Allentown |url=https://www.poconorecord.com/story/news/2008/04/14/new-baseball-team-ironpigs-begins/52448831007/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Pocono Record |date=April 14, 2008}} the team's Opening Day starting pitchers have a combined Opening Day record of 4 wins, 5 losses, and 7 no decisions. At Coca-Cola Park, they had a record of 3 wins, 3 losses, and 4 no decisions in 10 Opening Day starts. Lehigh Valley starters have a record of 2 wins, 2 losses, and 2 no decisions in 6 Opening Day starts on the road. In Lehigh Valley's history, only Tyler Cloyd and Jake Thompson made more than one Opening Day start, however, J.A. Happ is the only Opening Day starter to have also start a Opening Day game in Major League Baseball.{{cite news |title=Blue Jays name veteran LHP J.A. Happ as opening-day starter |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22844876/toronto-blue-jays-name-veteran-lhp-ja-happ-opening-day-starter |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=ESPN |agency=The Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |date=March 20, 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Nicholson-Smith |first1=Ben |title=J.A. Happ named Blue Jays' opening day starter vs. Yankees |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/j-happ-named-blue-jays-opening-day-starter-vs-yankees/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Sportsnet |date=March 20, 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Couto |first1=Melissa |title=Blue Jays tap J.A. Happ to start opening day vs. Yankees |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/jays-tab-happ-start-opening-day-1.4583899 |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=CBC |agency=The Canadian Press |publisher=CBC Sports |date=March 20, 2018}}
Pitchers
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:85%"
|+Key !scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Pitcher {{small|(#)}} |Number indicates multiple appearances as a IronPigs Opening Day starter |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Score {{small|(#)}}
|Game score with IronPigs runs listed first; number of innings in a game that was shorter or longer than 9 innings in parentheses |
|---|
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Location
|Stadium in italics denotes a IronPigs home game |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"|W
|Win earned by starting pitcher; IronPigs won game |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"|L
|Loss earned by starting pitcher; IronPigs lost game |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"|ND (W)
|No decision by starting pitcher; IronPigs won game |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"|ND (L)
|No decision by starting pitcher; IronPigs lost game |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Pitchers ! scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#C90116 5px solid; border-bottom:#c2c8ca 5px solid; color:#05173c" |Season ! scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#C90116 5px solid; border-bottom:#c2c8ca 5px solid; color:#05173c" |Pitcher ! scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#C90116 5px solid; border-bottom:#c2c8ca 5px solid; color:#05173c" |Decision ! scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#C90116 5px solid; border-bottom:#c2c8ca 5px solid; color:#05173c" |Score ! scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#C90116 5px solid; border-bottom:#c2c8ca 5px solid; color:#05173c" |Opponent ! scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#C90116 5px solid; border-bottom:#c2c8ca 5px solid; color:#05173c" |Location !class="unsortable" scope="col" style="background-color:#ffffff; border-top:#C90116 5px solid; border-bottom:#c2c8ca 5px solid; color:#05173c"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| 2008
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|J.A. Happ |L |{{sort|02.04|0–4}} |
| 2009
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Kyle Kendrick |ND (L) |{{sort|02.04|3–11}} |
| 2010
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Brian Mazone |ND (L) |{{sort|02.04|7–8}} |
| 2011
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Vance Worley |W |{{sort|02.04|7–2}} |
| 2012
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Tyler Cloyd {{Small|(1)}} |W |{{sort|02.04|3–0}} |
| 2013
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Tyler Cloyd {{Small|(2)}} |L |{{sort|02.04|2–11}} |
| 2014
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|David Buchanan |W |{{sort|02.04|4–0}} |
| 2015
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Joely Rodríguez |L |{{sort|02.04|0–4}} |
| 2016
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Jake Thompson {{Small|(1)}} |L |{{sort|02.04|1–5}}{{refn|group=n|The original Opening Day, scheduled for April 7, 2016, was postponed to April 8, 2016, as part as a doubleheader, due to inclement weather (snow). The game was subsequently served as the rescheduled "Opening Day."{{cite news |last1=Vivacqua |first1=Brad |title=Syracuse Chiefs Opening Series Postponed Due to Inclement Weather |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/news/2016/04/7/weather-postpones-syracuse-chiefs |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Spectrum News |date=April 7, 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Webb |first1=Donnie |title=Syracuse Chiefs postpone Opening Day until Monday |url=https://www.syracuse.com/chiefs/2016/04/syracuse_chiefs_postpone_opening_day_until_monday.html |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Syracuse |date=April 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Norris |first1=Josh |title=No Fans, No Fun In Lehigh Valley |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/no-fans-no-fun-in-lehigh-valley/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Baseball America |date=April 8, 2016}}{{cite news |title=Chiefs, IronPigs to Play Friday Doubleheader at Lehigh Valley |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/chiefs-ironpigs-to-play-friday-doubleheader-at-lehigh-valley/n-5120269 |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=OurSportsCentral |date=April 6, 2016}}}} |
| 2017
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Jake Thompson {{Small|(2)}} |L |{{sort|02.04|7–14}}{{refn|group=n|The original Opening Day, scheduled for April 6, 2017, was postponed to April 9, 2017, due to inclement weather (rain). The game on April 7, 2017, subsequently served as the rescheduled "Opening Day."{{cite news |title=Thursday's IronPigs-Red Sox Season Opener Postponed |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/thursdays-ironpigs-red-sox-season-opener-postponed/n-5246060 |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=OurSportsCentral |date=April 6, 2017}}}} |
| 2018
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Zach Eflin |W |{{sort|02.04|3–1}}{{refn|group=n|The original Opening Day, scheduled for April 6, 2018, was postponed to May 26, 2018, due to inclement weather (snow). The game on April 7, 2018, subsequently served as the rescheduled "Opening Day."{{cite news |title=PawSox home opener snowed out |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/2018/04/06/pawsox-home-opener-snowed-out/12804191007/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=The Providence Journal |date=April 6, 2018}}}} |
| 2019
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Cole Irvin |ND (L) |{{sort|02.04|2–4}} |
| 2020
!scope="row" style="text-align:center" colspan="3"|{{sort|zz|Season cancelled{{refn|group=n|The April 9, 2020, Opening Day game was postponed and ultimately cancelled along with the entire season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news|title=A Message From Pat O'Conner|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|website=Minor League Baseball|date=May 18, 2020|access-date=May 18, 2020|archive-date=January 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102184027/https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved|url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|website=Minor League Baseball|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020|archive-date=January 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112074110/https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|url-status=live}}}}}} |
| 2021
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Adonis Medina |ND (W) |{{sort|02.04|6–5}} {{small|(11)}} |
| 2022
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|James Marvel |ND (W) |{{sort|02.04|7–3}} |
| 2023
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Michael Plassmeyer |ND (W) |{{sort|02.04|8–7}} {{small|(10)}} |
| 2024
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Tyler Phillips |ND (W) |{{sort|02.04|7–4}} |
| 2025
!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Alan Rangel |ND (W) |{{sort|02.04|5–4}} |
Notes
{{reflist|group=n}}