Red Sox Ace Praises Cincinnati, Reds Fans For 'Coolest' Opening Day Experience

Garrett Crochet says Cincinnati's Opening Day celebration is the best he's experienced.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:03pm

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Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet praised the city of Cincinnati and its passionate Reds fans for providing the "coolest" Opening Day experience he has been a part of. Crochet, the 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up, threw six shutout innings and struck out eight batters in front of a sellout crowd at Great American Ball Park as the Red Sox defeated the Reds 3-0 in the teams' first-ever Opening Day matchup.

Why it matters

Cincinnati is known for its fervent baseball fandom and elaborate Opening Day celebrations, which draw massive crowds and create an electric atmosphere. Crochet's positive remarks about the experience highlight the city's passion for the sport and the impact it can have on players, even those visiting from other teams.

The details

Thursday marked the Reds' 150th home Opening Day game, and the city celebrated with large crowds, festivities, and the Findlay Market Parade that drew around 130,000 people. Crochet said the energy and trash talk in the bullpen, as well as the fans' enthusiasm throughout the game, made it the "coolest" Opening Day he has been a part of. The Red Sox ace delivered a strong performance, tossing six shutout innings and recording eight strikeouts to help his team secure a 3-0 victory.

  • The Reds' 150th home Opening Day game was on Thursday, March 27, 2026.
  • Crochet's six-shutout-inning, eight-strikeout performance came on Opening Day 2026.

The players

Garrett Crochet

Boston Red Sox ace pitcher and the 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are the first professional baseball team and are known for their passionate fan base and elaborate Opening Day celebrations in Cincinnati.

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What they’re saying

“As far as Opening Days go, this has been the coolest one I've been a part of. You could tell baseball means a lot to this town. There was some trash talk in the bullpen, but it was just the energy all game. The fans were very into it. So it's easy to let them supply the emotion in that situation.”

— Garrett Crochet

“Very satisfying. I came into today with a goal of just putting the team in a position to win. It's a lot simpler when you keep it as black and white as that. Did my job.”

— Garrett Crochet

What’s next

The Red Sox and Reds will continue their series with the second game on Saturday, March 29, 2026.

The takeaway

Cincinnati's fervent baseball culture and elaborate Opening Day celebrations create an unparalleled experience for players, even those visiting from other teams. Garrett Crochet's positive remarks about the "coolest" Opening Day he has been a part of highlight the city's passion for the sport and its ability to energize players on the field.