(Photo credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images)

Two of the most historically rich teams in professional baseball will open the 2026 season Thursday as the Cincinnati Reds host the Boston Red Sox.

Both teams have loftier goals in 2026 after being eliminated in the wild-card round of the playoffs last season.

The Reds, who were swept by the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League wild-card round, added Eugenio Suarez as their big bat in the middle of an order as a means of protection for players like Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain. Sal Stewart gets his first Opening Day assignment and is expected to bat behind De La Cruz in the batting order.

The Red Sox, who fell in three games to the New York Yankees in the American League wild-card round, will rely on a deep starting rotation that was bolstered by the addition of lefty Ranger Suarez. The Red Sox also will lean on a young core of talent to overcome the loss of free agent third baseman Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs.

Leading the way for the Red Sox will be outfielder Roman Anthony, followed by Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida.

Between those five players, there are four positions. Rafaela and Abreu likely are regulars in center and right field. while Anthony and Duran likely will share left field and the designated hitter spot.

Thursday's opener will feature a pair of elite young left-handers, with the Reds sending Andrew Abbott to the mound to face Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet.

A first-time All-Star in 2025, Abbott posted a 10-7 record with a 2.87 ERA. He was named the starter after 2025 Opening Day pitcher Hunter Greene was sidelined with elbow stiffness. The Reds also are awaiting word on how long lefty Nick Lodolo (left index finger blister) could be sidelined to open the season.

'I'm honored to represent Cincinnati on that day. I know being there and seeing how big of a holiday it's celebrated,' Abbott said. 'Any one of those guys deserve it, but I'm excited to take the ball and give it my all.'

Crochet enters 2026 coming off a dominant season in which he finished second in AL Cy Young voting. He led the league with 255 strikeouts and posted an 18-5 mark with a 2.59 ERA over 205 1/3 innings.

'The success that I had last year will make teams game plan a little bit for me and I've got to be ready to combat that,' Crochet said. 'You've got to come in, earn your stripes every year.'

Reds manager Terry Francona is expected to counter this southpaw threat by loading the Cincinnati lineup with right-handed hitters, though speedster TJ Friedl still is projected to lead off.

Francona, who managed the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007, emphasized a shift in the Reds' mentality for 2026.

'I've told our players -- it's time,' Francona said. 'Are we younger than some other teams? Yeah. That doesn't mean we can't go toe-to-toe.'

Entering his eighth season as Red Sox manager, which includes the 2018 World Series title, Cora is no stranger to managing one of the highest profile teams in baseball over a 162-game season.

'It's such a grind. There's nothing like 162,' Cora said.

--Field Level Media