{"id":646319,"date":"2026-03-27T10:33:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T10:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/646319\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T10:33:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T10:33:06","slug":"heres-the-biggest-takeaway-from-the-reds-opening-day-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/646319\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s the biggest takeaway from the Reds’ Opening Day loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

Helicopters fly over Great American Ball Park before the Cincinnati Reds face off against the Red Sox for Opening Day 2026.<\/p>\n

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1 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

Helicopters fly over Great American Ball Park before the Cincinnati Reds face off against the Red Sox for Opening Day 2026.<\/p>\n

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2 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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3 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

A giant flag spreads across Great American Ball Park before the Reds face off against the Red Sox for the 2026 Opening Day game.<\/p>\n

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4 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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5 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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6 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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7 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Eugenio Su\u00e1rez (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.<\/p>\n

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8 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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9 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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10 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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11 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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12 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

Dave Concepci\u00f3n 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.<\/p>\n

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13 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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14 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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15 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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16 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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17 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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18 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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19 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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20 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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21 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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22 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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23 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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24 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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25 \/ 25<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Eugenio Su\u00e1rez (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.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that time of year again. Time for manager Terry Francona\u2019s \u201cOverreaction Friday,\u201d the day after the most overhyped, overwrought, overjoyed day on the baseball calendar.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you lose, your team\u2019s gonna stink, and if you win, you\u2019re going to win the World Series,\u201d Francona said.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Let it be known henceforth, for the record, that the Cincinnati Reds stink.<\/p>\n

Obviously.<\/p>\n

A 3-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox and ace left-hander Garrett Crochet in the season opener March 26 cinched it \u2013 161 remaining games be damned.<\/p>\n

No runs? Four hits by the upgraded lineup? Are you kidding? So much for the $15 million they spent on that Geno Su\u00e1rez guy.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

So much for all that work for all those weeks in spring training.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not even April, and the Reds have gone to hell in a hand basket. Kaput. Toast.<\/p>\n

Eliminated.<\/p>\n

The season was fun while it lasted. All nine innings of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of weird. As much as it is exciting, I can\u2019t wait to get it over,\u201d Francona said earlier in the week about his 60-plus years’ experience with openers, \u201cbecause the next day is Overreaction Friday.”<\/p>\n

\u201cI get it. It\u2019s exciting,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I love getting into the grind of it. Then you can see how good you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the Reds\u2019 scheduled off day this week was Overreaction Friday, what\u2019s that make Saturday when they reconvene for Game 2 of 162?<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d said Saturday\u2019s starter for the Reds, Brady Singer, who smiled at Francona\u2019s term for Friday. \u201cIt\u2019s like a holiday the first day of the year. You\u2019re just excited.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s right. Now we go to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unless the Red Sox and Reds meet again in late October with Crochet starting again in Game 1, nobody\u2019s going to remember the lefty\u2019s six dominant innings against the Reds.<\/p>\n

As a wary Francona said before the game, \u201cI wish Crochet\u2019s brother was pitching. I\u2019d feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

And unless Sal Stewart\u2019s 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\u2019s drive off Stewart\u2019s exposed arm near the heel of his glove in the fifth inning.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cFeels good,\u201d he said after the game. \u201cObviously there\u2019s some swelling in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe it\u2019s the off day scheduled for weather issues that make a routine early season loss feel so magnified.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat feels weird,\u201d said second baseman Matt McLain, one of seven hitless Reds in the starting lineup for the opener. \u201cBecause you go back and play, and then it\u2019s like, game, game, and you keep playing (like normal).<\/p>\n

\u201cBut 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\u2019t today. And we\u2019ll be back on Saturday. We\u2019re going to suit up 161 more times. \u2026 That\u2019s baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Said Abbott: \u201cIt\u2019s a long season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Su\u00e1rez: \u201cIt was the first day. Both sides played good baseball. Tomorrow\u2019s another day.”<\/p>\n

Stewart: “We\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roughly 161 more times. That includes four games before they even get to April.<\/p>\n

They can get through Overreaction Friday.<\/p>\n

And onto, what, Brady Singer Saturday?<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll work,\u201d Singer said.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds Opening Day takeaways<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"1 \/ 25 Cincinnati Reds face Boston Red Sox on Opening Day. See photos Helicopters fly over Great…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":646320,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2400],"tags":[2001,5,48,757,535,50,4259,922,1401,4,22981,1133,536,793,6513,1175],"class_list":["post-646319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cincinnati-reds","tag-andrew-abbott","tag-baseball","tag-boston-red-sox","tag-brady-singer","tag-cincinnati","tag-cincinnati-reds","tag-cincinnatireds","tag-garrett-crochet","tag-matt-mclain","tag-mlb","tag-overreaction","tag-pierce-johnson","tag-reds","tag-roman-anthony","tag-sal-stewart","tag-terry-francona"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116300693532164442","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=646319"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646319\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/646320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=646319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=646319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=646319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}