Baseball is back as the Red Sox take on the Reds to open the 2026 season. The three-game set begins on Thursday, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. You can watch the game on NESN.
Crochet vs Abbott on the Mound
Garrett Crochet will be opening the season for the second consecutive year. In 2025, Crochet finished second in AL Cy Young voting, leading the league with 255 strikeouts and posting an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA. Despite a 7.36 ERA over four spring training starts, Crochet remains unfazed. “Last year, good spring, bad first start,” he said. “This year, bad spring. Nothing changes for me.”
Andrew Abbott, a first-time All-Star in 2025, will start for the Reds. Hunter Greene is sidelined with elbow stiffness.
Francona’s Return to Face Red Sox
Terry Francona, formerly of the Red Sox, now manages the Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati finished third in the division last season and were eliminated in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Francona managed the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007.
Francona has emphasized a shift in the Reds’ mentality for 2026. “I’ve told our players — it’s time,” Francona said. “Are we younger than some other teams? Yeah. That doesn’t mean we can’t go toe-to-toe.” He is expected to counter Crochet’s southpaw delivery by loading the Cincinnati lineup with right-handed hitters, though speedster TJ Friedl is still projected to lead off.
Opening Day Lineups
Here are the projected lineups for today’s game:
- Red Sox: Anthony LF, Story SS, Duran DH, Contreras 1B, Durbin 3B, Abreu RF, Kiner-Falefa 2B, Narváez C, Rafaela CF
- Reds: Friedl CF, McLain 2B, De La Cruz SS, Stewart 1B, Suárez DH, Steer LF, Stephenson C, Marte RF, Hayes 3B
Key Stats to Watch
Here are some batter-pitcher matchups to keep an eye on:
- Willson Contreras 3-11 vs. Abbott
- Elly De La Cruz 1-5 vs. Crochet
- Matt McLain 2-3 vs. Crochet
Cora Closing in on Francona’s Record
Alex Cora has managed the third-most games in Red Sox history (1,134) and can tie Terry Francona for second (1,296) this season.
Crochet had a 0.57 ERA in five spring training starts last season then lasted only five innings on Opening Day, putting seven runners on base and allowing two runs. Crochet said, “The success that I had last year will make teams game plan a little bit for me and I’ve got to be ready to combat that,” Crochet said. “You’ve got to come in, earn your stripes every year.”