11 International-born Pitchers Will Start On MLB’s Opening Day – Who Are They?

Yu Darvish of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of game two for the MLB World Tour Mexico City Series against the San Francisco Giants at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium on April 30, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. Darvish will start the Padres 2024 season opener in Seoul, South Korea on March 20. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The 2024 Major League Baseball regular season will start on March 20 at 6:05 a.m. EST in Seoul, South Korea at the Gocheok Sky Dome when the San Diego Padres will be the home team against the Los Angeles Dodgers. All the other 28 MLB teams will start the regular season on March 28. 

The Dodgers will be the home team on March 21 against the San Diego Padres at the Gocheok Sky Dome at 6:05 a.m. EST. 

One Japanese-born MLB starting pitcher will take the mound in Seoul: Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish will start on March 20. 

World Baseball Network compiled a list of international-born opening day starting pitchers for the 2024 MLB regular season. 

Pitchers born in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, and Puerto Rico will all start on March 28. 

Framber Valdez, Pablo Lopez, and Luis Castillo are the only international-born starting pitchers who were selected to the 2023 All-Star Game and will start on opening day of the 2024 regular season. 

Yu Darvish, Jose Berrios, Jesus Luzardo, and Pablo Lopez are the only starting pitchers that were on their countries’ rosters for the 2023 World Baseball Classic that are starting in their teams first games of the 2024 MLB season. 

2024 MLB Opening Day International-Born Starting Pitchers
TA – Total Appearances 

Japan

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres – March 20 – 6:05 a.m. EST 

Yu Darvish, San Diego Padres
2023 Stats: 8-10, 4.56 ERA, GS Starts, 136.1 IP, 134 H, 69 ER, 18 HR, 43 BB, 141 K, 1.298 WHIP

MLB Career (11 seasons): 103-85, 3.59 ERA, 266 GS, 2 CG, 1 SHO, 1,624.1 IP, 1,329 H, 648 ER, 205 HR, 522 BB, 1,929 K, 1.140 WHIP 

Venezuela
*Born In Lima, Peru

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Miami Marlins – 4:10 p.m. EST 

Jesus Luzardo*, Miami Marlins
2023 Stats: 10-10, 3.58 ERA, 32 GS, 178.2 IP, 162 H, 71 ER, 22 HR, 55 BB, 208 K, 1.215 WHIP 

MLB Career (5 Seasons): 23-28, 4.18 ERA, 93 TA, 77 GS, 2 S, 445.1 IP, 400 H, 207 ER, 62 HR, 158 BB, 501 K, 1.253 WHIP 

Minnesota Twins vs. Kansas City Royals – 4:10 p.m. EST

Pablo Lopez, Minnesota Twins
2023 Stats: 11-8, 3.66 ERA, 32 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 194 IP, 176 H, 79 ER, 24 HR, 48 BB, 234 K, 1.155 WHIP 

MLB Career (6 Seasons): 39-39, 3.86 ERA, 126 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 704 IP, 639 H, 302 ER, 83 HR, 190 BB, 723 K, 1.178 WHIP 

Colombia 

Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Mets – 1:10 p.m. EST 

Jose Quintana, New York Mets
2023 Stats: 3-6, 3.57 ERA, 13 GS, 75.2 IP, 75 H, 30 ER, 5 HR, 24 BB, 60 K, 1.308 WHIP 

MLB Career (12 Seasons): 92-93, 3.74 ERA, 328 TA, 302 GS, 2 CG, 2 SHO, 1,799.1 IP, 1,773 H, 748 ER, 179 HR, 528 BB, 1,592 K, 1.279 WHIP 

Cuba 

New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros – 4:10 p.m. EST 

Nestor Cortes, New York Yankees
2023 Stats: 5-2, 4.97 ERA, 12 GS, 63.1 IP, 59 H, 35 ER, 11 HR, 20 BB, 67 K, 1.247 WHIP

MLB Career (6 Seasons): 24-11, 3.82 ERA, 104 TA, 56 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 393.2 IP, 339 H, 167 ER, 65 HR, 121 BB, 413 K, 1.169 WHIP

Puerto Rico 

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays – 4:10 p.m. EST 

Jose Berrios, Toronto Blue Jays
2023 Stats: 11-12, 3.65 ERA, 32 GS, 189.2 IP, 173 H, 77 ER, 25 HR, 52 BB, 184 K, 1.186 WHIP 

MLB Career (8 Seasons): 83-66, 4.15 ERA, 212 TA, 211 GS, 4 CG, 1 SHO, 1,213.1 IP, 1,146 H, 559 ER, 162 HR, 363 BB, 1,190 K, 1.244 WHIP 

Dominican Republic

Boston Red Sox vs. Seattle Mariners – 10:10 p.m. EST 

Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners
2023 Stats: 14-9, 3.34 ERA, 33 GS, 197 IP, 160 H, 73 ER, 28 HR, 56 BB, 219 K, 1.096 WHIP 

MLB Career (7 seasons): 62-64, 3.54 ERA, 181 GS, 1 CG, 1,054.2 IP, 882 H, 415 ER, 126 HR, 360 BB, 1,156 K, 1.178 WHIP 

Brayan Bello, Boston Red Sox
2023 Stats: 12-11, 4.24 ERA, 28 starts, 157 IP, 165 H, 74 ER, 24 HR, 45 BB, 132 K, 1.338 WHIP 

MLB Career (2 Seasons): 14-19, 4.37 ERA, 41 TA, 39 GS, 1 CG, 214.1 IP, 240 H, 104 ER, 25 HR, 72 BB, 187 K, 1.456 WHIP 

Washington Nationals vs. Cincinnati Reds – 4:10 p.m. EST 

Frankie Montas, Cincinnati Reds
2023 Stats (With NYY): 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 TA, 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 2.250 WHIP 

MLB Career (8 Seasons): 37-35, 3.90 ERA, 130 TA, 99 GS, 593.2 IP, 571 H, 257 ER, 72 HR, 197 BB, 612 K, 1.294 WHIP 

New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros – 4:10 p.m. EST 

Framber Valdez, Houston Astros
2023 Stats: 12-11, 3.45 ERA, 31 GS, 2 CG, 2 SHO, 198 IP, 116 H, 76 ER, 19 HR, 57 BB, 200 K, 1.126 WHIP 

MLB Career (6 Seasons): 53-34, 3.40 ERA, 129 TA, 107 GS, 6 CG, 3 SHO, 712.1 IP, 601 H, 259 ER, 59 HR, 266 BB, 697 K, 1.217 WHP 

Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Mets – 1:10 p.m. EST 

Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers
2023 Stats: 12-10, 3.86 ERA, 30 GS, 165.2 IP, 131 H, 71 ER, 26 HR, 54 BB, 210 K, 1.117 WHIP

MLB Career (6 Seasons): 42-27, 3.83 ERA, 146 TA, 97 GS, 1 S, 580.2 IP, 427 H, 247 ER, 71 HR, 226 BB, 749 K, 1.125 WHIP