On their way to being the biggest overachievers in the league in 2018, the trend-setting Tampa Bay Rays made frequent use of “The Opener.” The strategy allowed them to get the most out of a no-name pitching staff and was quickly adopted by other MLB teams—on a much smaller scale—as the season went on. Now entering Spring Training, every organization must at least consider following in their footsteps.
So, what exactly is an opener? It’s a short-term pitcher tasked with starting the game and going through the meat of the opposing lineup, allowing for a more durable arm to land softly in a more favorable matchup and rack up innings from there.