Tigers @ Reds

Who will WIN this matchup?

Detroit Tigers (0-0)

@ Cincinnati Reds (0-0)

Starting Pitchers:

Boyd (DET): 0-0; 0.00 ERA

Gray (CIN) 0-0; 0.00 ERA

Current odds:

Detroit Tigers: (+155)

Cincinnati Reds: (-175)

• The Cincinnati Reds made considerable noise in the offseason by adding some pop to a lineup that mustered the fifth-fewest runs in the majors last year. Nick Castellanos looks to show one of his former teams a thing or two on Friday when the Reds open the abbreviated season against the visiting Tigers.  Castellanos (27 homers in 2019), who signed a four-year, $64 million contract in the offseason, joins newcomers Mike Moustakas (35 homers) and Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama in bidding to ignite an offense that essentially featured Eugenio Suarez (career-best 49 homers) and little else. A rejuvenated Sonny Gray leads a formidable pitching staff that also includes All-Star Luis Castillo and mercurial Trevor Bauer for the Reds, who finished in fourth place in the National League Central after a four-year stay in the cellar.

• While Cincinnati struggled to cross the plate, Detroit set the standard in that department by scoring a majors-worst 582 runs last season. The end result was a paltry 47-114 record, which is stunning in its own right considering the Tigers began the season with 12 wins in their first 22 games.

• Boyd will make his first career Opening Day start after finishing sixth in the American League in strikeouts (238) and fourth in punchouts per nine innings (11.56). Impressive numbers to be certain, but the 29-year-old also surrendered an American League-high 39 homers. Boyd has split a pair of decisions against Cincinnati, highlighted by scattering four hits and striking out seven in eight innings of a 2-1 victory on July 31, 2018.

• Gray is bidding to pick up where he left off during his All-Star season in 2019, when the 30-year-old won nine of his last 12 decisions. Gray flourished in his previous two Opening Day starts with Oakland, tossing a combined 14 shutout innings to pick up a win and a no-decision. Gray, who sports a 1-1 record in five career appearances with Detroit, has struggled against former AL MVP Miguel Cabrera (4-for-10, homer) and offseason acquisition Jonathan Schoop (5-for-15).

• Detroit 1B C.J. Cron followed up a career-high 30 homers with Tampa Bay in 2018 with a personal-best 78 RBIs with Minnesota last season.

• Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto, 36, totaled 27 homers over the last two seasons after erupting for 36 while playing in all 162 games during the 2017 campaign.

• Cabrera, 37, led the Tigers in batting average (.282), hits (139), RBIs (59), total bases (196), walks (48) and on-base percentage (.346) last season.