Reds Rookie Sal Stewart Backs Veteran Without Hesitation After Tough Opening Day

The Reds had just four hits all day long on Thursday, but had a key opportunity in the sixth inning when the game was still tied at 0. After TJ Friedl grounded out to begin the bottom half of the inning, Matt McLain walked. Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart followed with singles to load the bases.

Reds veteran Eugenio Suarez stepped to the plate against Garrett Crochet in exactly the kind of moment they brought him back to Cincinnati for. He got two really good pitches to hit in the middle of the plate, but couldn’t cash in, fouling both off before striking out on the fourth pitch.

Spencer Steer worked a full count before striking out to end Cincinnati's threat. The Red Sox would go on to take the lead in the seventh,

In the eighth inning, after Sal Stewart doubled, Suarez had another opportunity at the plate, facing Garrett Whitlock, who he doubled off of in the ninth in the World Baseball Classic final to lead Venezuela to the Championship. However, Whitlock got the best of him this time, striking Suarez out on four pitches.

“That was the guy. I knew he was going to pitch me different," Suárez said. "He got me late with the fastball. I’ve got to make my adjustment. He threw me two fastballs right there in the middle and I missed my opportunity. And then I tried to battle."

Reds rookie Sal Stewart, who had three hits, took the opportunity to back his veteran teammate after the game.

“It’s a really good pitcher out there,” Stewart told Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard after Thursday's loss. “Ten out of ten times, I want No. 28 (Eugenio Suárez) in the box. The situation was there. So what? Who cares? Onto tomorrow. We had many chances. We could have had better at-bats as a whole, including myself.”

While it's certainly not ideal to get shut out on Opening Day in front of a sold-out crowd, there is a reason Garrett Crochet was the runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2025. He's very good.

It's one game of 162 and there is no reason to panic yet.

“We had some good opportunities,” Stephenson said. “Some didn’t go our way. We put some good swings on it. It’s Day one. We don’t need to overreact or anything. Good pitching day.”

The Reds are off on Friday before facing the Red Sox on Saturday at 4:10 ET. Brady Singer will take the mound for Cincinnati.

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