Baseball has returned! Let it thaw the icy winter and bring forth the promise of spring and summer. May it pause our fears and captivate our imaginations. If not for the next several weeks, then at least for today. The San Francisco Giants begin their next trip through the 162-game season and in this moment... anything is possible.
This is a feeling that’s shared by their opponent. The Cincinnati Reds haven’t had as transitional an offseason as the Giants, but both fandoms have reason for optimism. The Reds didn’t shake up their front office, but they did have a modest offseason from a transactions standpoint — a trio of trades (for SP Brady Singer, IF Gavin Lux, and LHP Taylor Rogers), and a trio of payroll adds (SP Nick Martinez accepted the qualifying offer, OF Austin Hays, RP Scott Barlow) — kicked off by installing a new manager.