MLB Opening Day is set for March 18, 2025. A closer look at Babe Ruth's Opening Day stats reveals they’re even more incredible than expected. After battling illness in 1925, Ruth emerged from every spring training in St. Petersburg in peak form, ready to dominate the season.
He was the winning pitcher on Opening Day for the Red Sox from 1916-1919 and in that span he gave up a total of two runs, pitching four complete games with two shutouts.
As an outfielder with the Yankees and Braves, he got a hit on every Opening Day that he was in the lineup — while facing the opposition's ace starter.
With these statistics, Babe Ruth is clearly the Opening Day GOAT.
Here’s a breakdown of his performance:
- Career Opening Day Stats:
- Batting Average: .341
- Home Runs: 6
- RBIs: 20
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging): Over 1.100
- As a pitcher: 4 complete game wins, no losses with a 0.50 ERA
Here's a year-by-year breakdown of his Opening Day contributions:
1915-1919: Boston Red Sox
- 1915: Ruth did not play on Opening Day.
- 1916: Pitched a complete game against the Philadelphia Athletics, leading the Red Sox to a 2-1 victory.
- 1917: Pitched a complete game shutout against the New York Yankees, winning 10-0.
- 1918: Pitched a complete game against the Philadelphia Athletics, winning 7-1.
- 1919: Pitched a complete game against the New York Yankees, winning 10-0.
1920-1934: New York Yankees
- 1920: Went 2-for-4 with a double against the Philadelphia Athletics.
- 1921: Hit a home run against the Philadelphia Athletics.
- 1922: Went 3-for-5 with a home run against the Philadelphia Athletics.
- 1923: Went 2-for-4 with a double against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1924: Went 2-for-5 against the Washington Senators.
- 1925: (First season training in St. Pete.) Did not play due to illness.
- 1926: Went 3-for-6 with a home run against the Philadelphia Athletics.
- 1927: Went 2-for-4 with a home run against the Philadelphia Athletics.
- 1928: Went 1-for-4 against the Philadelphia Athletics.
- 1929: Went 2-for-5 against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1930: Went 3-for-5 against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1931: Went 2-for-4 against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1932: Went 1-for-4 with a home run against the Philadelphia Athletics.
- 1933: Went 2-for-5 with a home run against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1934: Went 1-for-4 against the Boston Red Sox.
- 1935: Went 1-for-4 against the New York Giants.
Throughout these years, Ruth's opening day performances were a testament to his consistent excellence and ability to rise to the occasion. Until someone proves otherwise with a player who had a better career-long performance on Opening Day, Babe Ruth remains the undisputed Opening Day GOAT — in addition to being baseball's overall GOAT.
* Sources for this article: Wikipedia, Babe Ruth Central, The Baseball Almanac and Society for American Baseball Research.
