Game Preview: Cincinnati Reds Host San Francisco Giants on Opening Day

Opening Day has finally arrived!

Cincinnati Reds manger Terry Francona chats with bench coach Brad Mills during spring training, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at the Cincinnati Reds Player Development Complex in Goodyear, Ariz. / Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Opening Day is finally here, and the Reds will host the San Francisco Giants on Thursday at 4:10 ET at Great American Ball Park.

Hunter Greene will make his second Opening Day start of his career. The 25-year-old is coming off of the best season of his career, where he had an ERA of 2.75, and struck out 169 batters over 150 1/3 innings.

The Reds are led on offense by young superstar Elly De La Cruz. In his first full season in the big leagues, De La Cruz had an OPS of .809 to along with 71 extra-base hits and a league-leading 67 stolen bases.

Right-hander Logan Webb will start for the Giants on Thursday. Webb started 33 games last season for San Francisco and had an ERA of 3.47 in 204 2/3 innings. He was sixth in the National League Cy Young voting.

On offense, the Giants are led by Matt Chapman. The third-baseman had an OPS of .790 last season with 68 extra-base hits.

In the offseason, the Giants signed shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million contract. Adames has 19 home runs against the Reds in his career, eight more than he has against any other team.

See the Reds' lineup below:

1. CF | TJ Friedl
2. 2B | Matt McLain
3. SS | Elly De La Cruz
4. LF | Gavin Lux
5. 3B | Jeimer Candelario
6. DH | Spencer Steer
7. 1B | Christian Encarnacion-Strand
8. RF | Jake Fraley
9. C | Jose Trevino

News and Notes

• The Reds are looking to reach the postseason for the first time since 2020.
• The Giants are looking to reach the postseason for the first time since 2021.
• Hunter Greene will become the 29th Reds' pitcher since 1900 with multiple Opening Day starts.
• Greene enters the 2025 season 15 strikeouts shy of 500 for his Major League career.
• This will be Matt McLain's first regular season game in 579 days, dating back to August 27, 2023.

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