» RELATED: How to watch the Reds on Friday
Teams across Major League Baseball kicked off the season Thursday. The Reds and Nationals will wait until 4:10 p.m. Friday. Despite the delay, the Reds had to finalize their Opening Day roster Thursday. Here's a glance at what it looks like:
Oldest player: First baseman Joey Votto, 34, wins this honor. On the pitching side, reliever Jared Hughes, 32, gets the nod only because another new Reds reliever, David Hernandez, also 32, starts the season on the 10-day disabled list.
Hernandez was born on May 13, 1985. Hughes followed on July 4, 1985. Opening Day starter Homer Bailey, 31, isn’t far behind.
Longest-tenured Red: Bailey made his big-league debut for the Reds on June 8, 2007. Votto also debuted that season on Sept. 4, 2007.
Youngest player: Starting pitcher Tyler Mahle, 22, just beats another pitcher, reliever Jackson Stephens, by a little more than four months. Both were born in 1994, as was shortstop Jose Peraza. Mahle will start the fourth game of the season Monday against the Chicago Cubs. Stephens was added to the 25-man roster Thursday from Triple-A Louisville.
New big leaguer: Reliever Zack Weiss, a sixth-round pick by the Reds in 2013, will make his big-league debut when he gets in a game with the Reds. When he plays, he will become the 92nd former member of the Dayton Dragons to play in the big leagues.
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First-time Reds: In addition to Weiss, the players who have never played for the Reds are Hughes, reliever Kevin Quackenbush and infielder/outfielders Phil Gosselin and Cliff Pennington.
Opening Day streak: The Reds didn't announce their Opening Day lineup Thursday, but if there are no surprises, Votto will make his 10th straight start on Opening Day and center fielder Billy Hamilton would make his fifth straight start.
Third baseman Eugenio Suarez and left fielder Adam Duvall would make their third straight starts, and Peraza, Barnhart and right fielder Scott Schebler would start the opener for the second straight season.
Every position player returns from the 2017 Opening Day lineup except Zack Cozart, who’s now with the Los Angeles Angels.
NOTES: The Reds put starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani on the 60-day disabled list (left oblique strain) on Thursday. Four pitchers were placed on the 10-day disabled list: starting pitcher Brandon Finnegan (left biceps strain); and relievers Hernandez (right shoulder inflammation), Michael Lorenzen (right shoulder strain) and Kevin Shackelford (right forearm strain). … Closer Raisel Iglesias was placed on the three-day paternity list. … The Reds recalled pitchers Cody Reed, who will start Tuesday against the Cubs, and Stephens and Pennington from Triple-A Louisville.
FRIDAY’S GAME
Nationals at Reds, 4:10 p.m., FS Ohio, 700, 1410
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