Alex Cora Announces Red Sox 2026 Opening Day Starter

The Boston Red Sox open the season on March 26 on the road against the Cincinnati Reds. It will be the first time they’ve started the season against a National League opponent since 2017, when they played the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the first time in Red Sox history they start the season against the Reds.

When they take the field in the bottom half of the inning, they’ll be led by none other than Garrett Crochet, Alex Cora announced on Tuesday.

“Let’s get that [expletive] over with,” Cora said.

It should come as no surprise that Crochet will headline the Red Sox’s rotation. He finished second in American League Cy Young voting last year, posting a 2.59 ERA in 205 1/3 innings. He also led the major leagues with 255 strikeouts.

It will be the third opening day start in a row for Crochet, who started for the Red Sox in 2025 and the Chicago White Sox in 2024. He allowed two runs over five innings and did not figure into the decision against the Texas Rangers in 2025, and took a loss despite holding the Detroit Tigers to one run over six innings in 2024.

The Reds gave Crochet trouble last season. The five earned runs he allowed were his second-highest total of the season, behind only a seven-run outing against the Cleveland Guardians.

Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray are considered by many to be the Red Sox’s number two and three starters, though the rotation order could shake out in a number of ways. Suarez and Brayan Bello are each slated to pitch for their respective countries in the World Baseball Classic, which could impact the timing of their regular-season debuts.