CINCINNATI — Flowers are blooming, birds are singing and temperatures are rising but Cincinnati is focused on its real herald of springtime: Opening Day.
In its 148th year, Opening Day in Cincinnati will kick off on March 28 as the Reds play the Washington Nationals to kick off the baseball season. The game starts at 4:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park; gates open at 2:10 p.m. and pregame ceremonies will begin at 3:30 p.m.
But there are plenty of events to celebrate Opening Day leading up to the first pitch of the game itself.
Reds Community Fund Charity Block Party at The Banks
Starting at 11 a.m. and running until 3:30 p.m., when pregame ceremonies begin at GABP, the Reds' Community Fund block party will host food and beverages at The Banks.
Live music will get the party going, with performances by the Naked Karate Girls and dj etrayn.
All proceeds of the event go to the baseball and softball outreach programs funded by the Reds Community Fund.
Opening Day Parade schedule and route
The parade will begin at noon, led by grand marshals Dmitri Young and Pokey Reese.
Leading the parade as an honorary grand marshal will also be Jim Scott, longtime radio icon who announced in 2023 that he'd been diagnosed with ALS. The former 700WLW radio host has marched in the parade for more than 50 years, often calling the day "his favorite day of the year."
The parade itself will run its standard 1.4 mile route, beginning at Findlay Market and heading down Race. From there, the parade tirns east on 5th Street and ends at the Taft Theater.
To accommodate the parade, several Cincinnati streets around the route will close beginning Thursday morning until after the parade concludes.
Starting at 8 a.m. Thursday morning the following roads will be closed to traffic:
- Race Street — closed between Liberty Street and McMicken Street
- Elm Street — closed between Liberty Street and McMicken Street
- Findlay Street — closed between Central Parkway and Vine Street
- Elder Street — closed between Central Parkway and Vine Street
- Green Street — closed between Vine Street and Logan Street
- Henry Street — closed between Race Street and Dunlap Street
- Dunlap Street — closed between Findlay Street and McMicken Street
- Logan Street — closed between Liberty Street and Findlay Street
Starting at 11 a.m., these parade route streets and cross streets will close:
- Liberty Street- closed between Vine Street and Central Parkway
- Central Parkway- closed between Vine Street and Elm Street
- Race Street - closed between Liberty Street and Fourth Street
- Fifth Street - closed between Elm Street and Sentinel Street
- Fifteenth Street - closed between Republic Street and Elm Street
- Fourteenth Street - closed between Elm Street and Republic Street
- Thirteenth Street- closed between Race Street and Vine Street
- Twelfth Street - closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
- Court Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
- Ninth Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
- Eighth Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
- Seventh Street – closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
- Sixth Street - closed between Elm Street and Vine Street
- Vine Street – closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
- Walnut Street – closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
- Main Street - closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
- Sycamore Street - closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
- Broadway Street - closed between Fourth Street and Sixth Street
Pregame Ceremonies
Reds Hall of Famer Sean Casey will throw out the game's ceremonial first pitch to kick off the festivities at Great American Ball Park.
From there, Reds Hall of Famer Marty Brennaman will act as the honorary captain of the game as he celebrates his 50th anniversary of his debut as a Reds broadcaster.
The National Anthem will be performed by Marlana VanHoose of Denver, Ky., and a flyover will follow, performed by two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the U.S. Army Reserves battalion from Fort Knox, Ky.
Wrapping things up before the game begins will be the introduction of the roster.
From there, Frankie Montas will be the starting pitcher for the Reds, his third career Opening Day start but his first with the Reds. Montas was signed to the Reds at the end of 2023, signing a one-year contract worth $16 million.
Which players will be on the Opening Day roster?
The short answer is that we won't know for sure which Reds players will step onto the field during Opening Day, but there are plenty of clues out there.
For example, we know that some players certainly won't be playing — because they're on the injury list.
OF Tejay Friedl is recovering from a fractured right wrist and won't be able to play at all. Matt McLain, second baseman, is out with a shoulder injury, RHP Ian Gibaut is out with a forearm injury, LHP Sam Moll is out for an injury to his shoulder and LHP Alex Young is recovering from a back injury.
From there, ESPN reporters have speculated that this could be the likeliest lineup for the Reds:
- Jonathan India, 2B
- Elly De La Cruz, SS
- Spencer Steer, LF
- Jake Fraley, RF
- Jeimer Candelario, 3B
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B
- Nick Martini, DH
- Tyler Stephenson, C
- Will Benson, CF