In baseball’s ever-evolving tactical landscape, the “opener” strategy has become one of the more controversial innovations of recent years. When the Chicago Cubs recently used reliever Brad Keller as an opener to start today’s game before highly-touted pitching prospect Cade Horton’s made his major league debut entering the game in the second, it reignited discussions about when this approach makes strategic sense.
The Cubs turned to this strategy not out of desperation, but as a calculated move to ease their prized pitching prospect into the big leagues following Shota Imanaga’s hamstring injury. This decision illustrates one of the two scenarios where an opener truly makes sense: when calling a rookie pitcher up to the majors or when easing a starter back from injury.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, an “opener” is a relief pitcher who starts the game but typically only pitches one or two innings before giving way to what would traditionally be the starting pitcher. The Tampa Bay Rays pioneered this approach in 2018, and several teams have experimented with it since, with varying degrees of success and commitment.
The strategy aims to navigate the opposition’s strongest hitters in the first inning with a reliever who matches up well against them, before turning the game over to the “bulk” pitcher who would normally start. This approach can be particularly effective against top-heavy lineups where the most dangerous hitters appear early in the batting order.
The timing of Horton’s promotion to the big leagues provided the Cubs with the perfect opportunity to use this strategy. With Japanese star Shota Imanaga hitting the injured list, the Cubs needed a starter and turned to their top pitching prospect. Rather than simply throwing Horton directly into the fire, they opted to use Keller as a buffer.
Horton, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, had been impressive in the minors but making the jump to facing major league hitters represents a significant challenge for any young pitcher. The pressure of a first major league start can be overwhelming, with adrenaline pumping and nerves frayed.
By having Keller handle the first inning, the Cubs allowed Horton to settle his nerves in the bullpen during the first inning and enter the game with a clearer mindset. This approach also enabled the coaching staff to manage Horton’s pitch count more effectively, a crucial consideration for a young arm making his debut.
Despite how trendy the opener strategy has become in some organizations, there are really only two scenarios where it makes strategic sense:
First, easing a rookie pitcher into the major leagues. As with Horton, using an opener can help mitigate the pressure and mental challenges of a debut. It allows the prospect to avoid the most stressful inning (typically the first) and can help manage their workload in early appearances.
Second, managing a starter returning from injury. When a pitcher is coming back from an injury, they’re often on strict pitch counts. Using an opener allows teams to maximize the value of those limited pitches by having the returning starter work in potentially less stressful situations and with more control over which batters they’ll face.
Both scenarios share a common theme: pitch count limitations. When a pitcher is restricted to 75-90 pitches rather than the typical 100+, teams must be strategic about how those pitches are used. If a rookie or returning pitcher can only give you four or five innings at most, it makes sense to ensure those innings come against the parts of the opposing lineup where they’re most likely to succeed.
The Cubs’ decision to pair Keller with Horton exemplifies the smart application of the opener strategy. For Horton, the benefits were multifaceted.
It removed the pressure of taking the mound to start the game. The psychological aspect of a major league debut shouldn’t be underestimated – even the most talented prospects can be overwhelmed by the moment. By entering in the second inning, Horton could process the environment and settle his nerves before throwing his first pitch.
It also allowed the Cubs to strategically manage which batters Horton would face. The New York Mets have a front-loaded lineup which has their best three hitters in the top five batters, Keller handled three of those difficult matchups before turning the game over to the rookie in the second inning. This meant Horton’s first major league experience started against relatively more manageable parts of the lineup.
And with Horton on a strict pitch count for the foreseeable future, using an opener meant those limited pitches could potentially carry him deeper into the game. Rather than possibly burning through his pitches in four innings, the Cubs hoped he would have been able to at least start the sixth inning. That ended up not happening since he hit 77 pitches by the end of the fifth inning.
Beyond the strategic elements, there’s a significant psychological component to using an opener for a rookie’s debut. The first inning for starting pitchers is notoriously the most challenging – even for veterans. Adrenaline runs high, command can be shaky, and the pressure is immense.
For a young pitcher getting his first taste of the majors, these factors are amplified. By allowing Horton to watch the first inning from the bullpen while warming up, the Cubs gave him the chance to process the environment, gauge the strike zone, and analyze the opposing hitters before taking the mound himself.
This gradual entrance might turn out to be invaluable for his confidence. Rather than potentially getting shellacked in the first inning and having to mentally recover, Horton entered the game with a clean slate and a better understanding of what he was facing.
While the Cubs’ use of Keller before Horton represents an ideal application of the opener strategy, many teams have tried to implement it in situations where the benefits are less clear.
Using an opener for an established, healthy starting pitcher often creates more problems than it solves. It disrupts the starter’s routine, potentially affects their mental approach, and can tax the bullpen unnecessarily. For pitchers who are capable of handling a full workload and navigating lineups multiple times, the advantages of an opener are minimal at best.
Some organizations have attempted to use openers on a regular basis rather than a situational tool. This can lead to bullpen fatigue over the course of the long season and may prevent starters from developing the skills and mindset needed to work through early challenges.
The opener should be utilized as a specialized tool for specific situations–primarily easing rookies into the majors and helping injured starters return to form–rather than an overarching solution to pitching development or management.
Here’s the thing, folks: For the Cubs, the decision to use Keller ahead of Horton represents a thoughtful approach to easing a starting pitcher into the majors. Rather than adhering rigidly to traditional roles or blindly following analytical trends, they identified a specific scenario where an opener could provide tangible benefits for a young pitcher making the challenging transition to the majors.
With that… The Cubs’ handling of Horton’s debut serves as a template for how teams should be approaching the opener strategy: not as an overarching solution for managing pitchers, but as a targeted tool for specific situations where a pitcher’s development and success can be meaningfully enhanced.
The icing on the cake was that Horton got his first major league win under his belt today. So, as Horton continues his major league journey, the careful management of his debut and, likely, his next few starts may prove to be a critical factor in his long-term development and success.
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