Garrett Crochet's stellar outing leads Red Sox to Opening Day win over Reds

Boston's offense tallies 12 hits, but struggles to capitalize early before breaking through late.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:50am

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The Boston Red Sox opened their 2026 season with a victory over the Cincinnati Reds, thanks to a strong pitching performance from starter Garrett Crochet. Despite generating numerous scoring chances, the Red Sox offense initially struggled to capitalize before breaking through late in the game.

Why it matters

The Red Sox are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season and get off to a strong start in 2026. Crochet's dominant outing and the team's ability to eventually break through offensively are encouraging signs for Boston's playoff hopes this year.

The details

Crochet pitched 6 innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 8 Reds batters. The Red Sox offense collected 12 hits on the day, including 3 from the leadoff spot, but left 10 runners on base early on before finally breaking through with a 4-run 8th inning to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Opening Day, March 27, 2026.

The players

Garrett Crochet

The Red Sox starting pitcher who delivered a strong outing to lead his team to victory on Opening Day.

Boston Red Sox

The Major League Baseball team that won their season opener against the Cincinnati Reds.

Cincinnati Reds

The opposing team that lost to the Red Sox on Opening Day.

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What they’re saying

“Garrett really set the tone for us today with his performance on the mound. Our offense had chances early, and it was big that we were finally able to break through late in the game.”

— Alex Cora, Red Sox Manager

What’s next

The Red Sox will look to build on this Opening Day victory as they continue their series against the Reds over the next few days.

The takeaway

The Red Sox showed resilience and the ability to win a close game on Opening Day, which could be an important early-season confidence boost as they aim to return to the playoffs in 2026.