The Cincinnati Reds kicked off their season facing some of the top-tier pitching in the league, resulting in a tough shutout loss.
On Opening Day, the Boston Red Sox edged out the Reds with a 3-0 victory. Garrett Crochet, recognized as one of baseball's elite starters, teamed up with Garrett Whitlock, a standout setup reliever, and Aroldis Chapman, a premier closer, to stifle the Reds' bats.
"Offensively, we faced one of the league's best in Crochet," Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson noted. "We had our chances, but it’s just Day 1.
No need to hit the panic button. It was simply a strong pitching performance."
Andrew Abbott, the Reds' Opening Day starter, matched Crochet's intensity with six scoreless innings of his own. However, the Reds' offense struggled to capitalize late in the game. Reds reliever Pierce Johnson gave up a run in the seventh, while Connor Phillips allowed two more in the ninth.
The Reds' prime scoring opportunity, with bases loaded, slipped away as Eugenio Suárez struck out.
"We’ve got a solid group," Suárez emphasized. "It’s just the start. We need to keep the pressure on and aim for wins."
The Reds managed only four hits, with rookie Sal Stewart shining by collecting three of them, making him the first rookie in team history to achieve three-plus hits on Opening Day.
"I can see his talent," Suárez said about Stewart. "Batting behind him is beneficial for both of us. I told him to just be himself and not feel pressured."
Stewart had a scare early on, taking a line drive to his left wrist. Fortunately, it wasn’t broken, allowing him to continue making an impact at the plate.
"He’s just being Sal," Stephenson said. "He keeps hitting."
The new automated-ball-strike challenge system significantly influenced the game. One of Suárez’s strikeouts was overturned by a Boston challenge. Later, in the ninth, Phillips thought he had ended the inning with a strikeout, but a successful Red Sox challenge extended the inning, leading to two more runs for Boston.
"It can change the game’s momentum," Reds reliever Graham Ashcraft remarked. "Calls can flip from putting a guy on base to ending an inning and stopping momentum."
Abbott shook off a challenging spring training and showcased his All-Star form. He maintained control, filled the strike zone, and stayed composed under pressure, allowing seven hits but never faltering.
Despite some opportunities, the Reds couldn’t find a breakthrough, marking their second consecutive season opener loss.
"We didn’t have many chances, but we had a few," Francona said. "We’ll focus on cashing in better come Saturday."