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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Helicopters fly over Great American Ball Park before the Cincinnati Reds face off against the Red Sox for Opening Day 2026.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Helicopters fly over Great American Ball Park before the Cincinnati Reds face off against the Red Sox for Opening Day 2026.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Three AH-64 Apache helicopters and one UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, fly over during the National Anthem before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
A giant flag spreads across Great American Ball Park before the Reds face off against the Red Sox for the 2026 Opening Day game.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) is introduced before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Hall of Fame, Johnny Bench, talks with Cincinnati Reds bench coach/field coordinator Freddie Benavides (45) before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Injured Cincinnati Reds first base coach Collin Cowgill (54) high fives bench coach/field coordinator Freddie Benavides (45) before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Eugenio Suárez (28) is introduced before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) is introduced before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Connor Curran, Cincinnati native and 2026 Winter Olympic Gold Medalist, delivers the official game ball before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Rawly Eastwick, Johnny Bench and Bronson Arroyo are introduced on the field before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Former Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo throws the ceremonial first pitch to catcher Jose Trevino (35) before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Dave Concepción is introduced before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws a four-seam fastball for the first pitch of the season in the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) celebrates after compiling a double play in the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) asks for an official review of a force out in the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) looks for a fan to throw a ball to after the second inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) celebrates after hitting a double to center field in the second inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch in the second inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
A bat boy collects a handful of souvenir balls prematurely launched on to the field from the stands in the third inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) plays a ground ball off the bat of Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) in the fourth inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke’bryan Hayes (3) plays a ground ball off the bat of Boston Red Sox catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2) in the fourth inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) looks on from the dugout in the fourth inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
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Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos
Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Eugenio Suárez (28) is struck out on a challenged pitch in the fourth inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings.
It’s that time of year again. Time for manager Terry Francona’s “Overreaction Friday,” the day after the most overhyped, overwrought, overjoyed day on the baseball calendar.
“If you lose, your team’s gonna stink, and if you win, you’re going to win the World Series,” Francona said.
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Let it be known henceforth, for the record, that the Cincinnati Reds stink.
Obviously.
A 3-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox and ace left-hander Garrett Crochet in the season opener March 26 cinched it – 161 remaining games be damned.
No runs? Four hits by the upgraded lineup? Are you kidding? So much for the $15 million they spent on that Geno Suárez guy.
Three runs surrendered in the last three innings? So much for that upgraded bullpen. As soon as All-Star starter Andrew Abbott leaves a scoreless game after six innings, $6.5 million bullpen addition Pierce Johnson gives up a leadoff double, sacrifice bunt and RBI single.
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So much for all that work for all those weeks in spring training.
It’s not even April, and the Reds have gone to hell in a hand basket. Kaput. Toast.
Eliminated.
The season was fun while it lasted. All nine innings of it.
“It’s kind of weird. As much as it is exciting, I can’t wait to get it over,” Francona said earlier in the week about his 60-plus years’ experience with openers, “because the next day is Overreaction Friday.”
“I get it. It’s exciting,” he said. “But I love getting into the grind of it. Then you can see how good you are.”
If the Reds’ scheduled off day this week was Overreaction Friday, what’s that make Saturday when they reconvene for Game 2 of 162?
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“I don’t know,” said Saturday’s starter for the Reds, Brady Singer, who smiled at Francona’s term for Friday. “It’s like a holiday the first day of the year. You’re just excited.
“But he’s right. Now we go to work.”
Unless the Red Sox and Reds meet again in late October with Crochet starting again in Game 1, nobody’s going to remember the lefty’s six dominant innings against the Reds.
As a wary Francona said before the game, “I wish Crochet’s brother was pitching. I’d feel better.”
And unless Sal Stewart’s bruised forearm turns into something worse than anyone assumed by the end of a three-hit opener, nobody except the rookie is likely to remember Roman Anthony’s drive off Stewart’s exposed arm near the heel of his glove in the fifth inning.
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“Feels good,” he said after the game. “Obviously there’s some swelling in there.”
Maybe it’s the off day scheduled for weather issues that make a routine early season loss feel so magnified.
“That feels weird,” said second baseman Matt McLain, one of seven hitless Reds in the starting lineup for the opener. “Because you go back and play, and then it’s like, game, game, and you keep playing (like normal).
“But Opening Days feel like that even in college. Even high school feels like that. You want to win Opening Day so bad because you work for that first game all offseason. But we didn’t today. And we’ll be back on Saturday. We’re going to suit up 161 more times. … That’s baseball.”
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Said Abbott: “It’s a long season.”
Suárez: “It was the first day. Both sides played good baseball. Tomorrow’s another day.”
Stewart: “We’ll be back.”
Roughly 161 more times. That includes four games before they even get to April.
They can get through Overreaction Friday.
And onto, what, Brady Singer Saturday?
“That’ll work,” Singer said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds Opening Day takeaways