The Reds' Offense: A Familiar Opening Day Struggle
Yesterday's Opening Day was a tough pill to swallow for Reds fans, as the team was shut out for the first time since 2018. If it felt like déjà vu, that's because the Reds have been down this road before.
Last season, they were shut out 13 times, managed just one run in 21 games, and scored two runs in 20 others. It’s a pattern they were hoping to break, but yesterday’s performance suggests there’s still work to be done.
Strikeouts were a major hurdle, with the Reds racking up 12 on Thursday. Clutch hitting was another issue; the team went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners stranded. Three late-game scoring opportunities slipped through their fingers, largely due to strikeouts.
In the 6th inning, the Reds loaded the bases with one out, thanks to a Matt McLain walk, an Elly single, and a Sal Stewart single. However, Eugenio Suarez and Spencer Steer both struck out, leaving the team empty-handed.
The 7th inning saw Tyler Stephenson draw a leadoff walk, but a pinch-hitting Will Benson struck out, followed by a flyout from Ke’Bryan Hayes and another strikeout from TJ Friedl.
In the 8th, Stewart doubled with two outs, but once again, Suarez struck out to end the threat.
These three scoring situations resulted in five of the six possible outs coming via strikeout. Last season, the Reds struck out 23.3% of the time, ranking them among the highest in the league, where the average was 22.2%.
Despite these struggles, the Reds weren't all bad in clutch situations last year, hitting .259 with runners in scoring position, which was 9th best overall and above their overall average of .245.
Yesterday’s challenges could be chalked up to facing Garrett Crochet and two standout relievers, the adrenaline of Opening Day, and perhaps a bit of homecoming anxiety for Suarez. It’s a new season, and while the Reds have some kinks to work out, there’s plenty of time to turn things around.