Reds see no surprises after Red Sox confirm obvious Opening Day decision

The Cincinnati Reds have yet to announce their Opening Day starter for the 2026 season. Typically that's something that comes about a week or two after spring training gets underway. But Boston Red Sox Alex Cora manager made no bones about who his Opening Day starter is going to be, and it's a name everyone already knew.

In a rather firm pronouncement that included some vulgarity, Cora made the Boston media aware that Garrett Crochet will toe the rubber for the Red Sox on Opening Day when they face the Reds at Great American Ball Park. While Reds skipper Terry Francona has yet to name his starter for the game on March 26, most assume it'll be Hunter Greene.

Crochet versus Greene will be quite the Opening Day matchup at GABP late next month. The date will be the first time ever that these two iconic franchises have played each other on Opening Day. Most baseball fans know that Francona managed the Red Sox from 2004-2011 and won two World Series championships with Boston.

Red Sox name Garrett Crochet the Opening Day starter against the Reds

This will mark just the second time the Reds have opened the season at home against an American League opponent. Because of the lockout in 2022, the Reds played their first game of the season at Truist Park in Atlanta and then returned home to face the Cleveland Guardians at GABP.

Crochet will be a handful. The hard-throwing left-hander came up through the Chicago White Sox system and was traded to Boston prior to last season. In 2025, Crochet became one of the most dominant starters in the league, going 18-5 over 32 starts with a 2.59 ERA and 255 punch outs. Crochet finished second in the Cy Young race to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

Outside of the switch-hitting Elly De La Cruz, Reds fans should expect to see Francona load up right-handed bats. Crochet embarrassed left-handed hitters to the tune of .166/.193/.262 last season. The Red Sox ace was also better on the road than he was at home in 2025, which is not good news for Reds hitters. Thankfully, Cincinnati is likely to have Greene on the hill, which could turn this matchup into a pitcher's duel rather quickly.