Opening Day Starter Garrett Crochet is in Rare Company

The following is a look at how the eight that did this before Crochet did in their opening day starts.

Tanner Scheppers

Back in 2014, due to many injuries to the Texas Rangers’ staff, Tanner Scheppers was called upon to make the first start of the year against the Philadelphia Phillies. Scheppers had a less-than-stellar outing on his opening-day debut, giving up seven runs. Those seven runs contributed to a 14-10 loss. Scheppers would go on to have a quiet career, retiring in October of 2019.

Fernando Valenzuela

Famous Los Angeles Dodgers star Fernando Valenzuela made his first start on opening day, April 9, 1981. This came against the Houston Astros, and Valenzuela pitched a four-hit shutout in a 2 – 0 victory. It was interesting that it technically wasn’t Valenzuela’s first game (he had been a reliever in games the previous year), but it was his first start as a starting pitcher. Most any fan of baseball knows what Valenzuela’s career turned into.

Preacher Roe

There was a long gap between Valenzuela’s first start and opening-day debut and our next pitcher. Preacher Roe had done it before Valenzuela but many years before him in 1944. Roe, who had played in just one game in 1943, made his opening-day debut and his first start in the majors on April 18. Roe couldn’t win his opening-day debut and lost a 2 – 0 affair to the St. Louis Cardinals. He went on to have an interesting career and life.

Al Gerhauser

The year before Roe’s debut, Al Gerhauser of the Philadelphia Phillies made his opening day and Phillies debut against the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 24, 1943. The Phillies lost the game in tough fashion, 11 – 4, making Gerhauser’s debut rough. Gerhauser had a long career in baseball, but it was relatively quiet.

Red Evans

Red Evans made his opening day and major league debut on April 18, 1939, against the New York Giants. The debut wasn’t quite what Evans wanted or expected, as the Giants beat Evans and the Brooklyn Dodgers 7 – 3. Evans had a marginal career, having also played with the White Sox.

Jim Bagby

In 1938, Jim Bagby of the Boston Red Sox made his opening-day debut against the New York Yankees on April 18. The Red Sox won the game 8 – 4, and Bagby earned the win. He wasn’t even told he would be the starter, which might have worked in his favor. You can read more about Bagby here.

Lefty Grove

Opening day on April 14, 1925, saw Lefty Grove and the Philadelphia Athletics take on the Boston Red Sox in what ended up being a close game. Grove and his teammates beat the Red Sox that day, 9-8. He went on to have an outstanding career and was selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. There is much more to Grove’s life here.

Eddie Eayrs

Finally, the first person to ever make their debut on opening day was Eddie Eayrs in 1920. Eayrs played with the Boston Braves. His debut came on April 14, 1920, and he earned a win in that start. The Braves played the New York Giants, winning 6 – 3. There isn’t a lot out there on Eayrs, but this write-up from SABR talks a bit about his career.

It will be interesting to see if Crochet can get the win in his first start with the White Sox. He will face the Detroit Tigers at home. There wouldn’t be a more fitting time and place to get his first win in his first start.