CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds hope the Joe Burrow’s magical right arm and his recent postseason success can provide a good omen for the start of the 2022 regular season.

What You Need To Know

  • Bengals QB Joe Burrow will throw out the first pitch at the home opener for the Reds on April 12

  • Burrow helped led the Bengals on a postseason run that ended in the team’s first Super Bowl appearance in more than three decades

  • The Bengals will also have a float featuring team legends in the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade

  • The Reds play the Cleveland Guardians in their home opener; tickets are still available as of Wednesday
​The Reds called upon the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback to throw the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day in the Queen City. The former Heisman Trophy winner won’t be targeting one of his wide receivers Tuesday, April 12, though.

Instead, his head coach, Zac Taylor, will receive the pregame toss.

Burrow’s favorite pass-catcher last season, Ja’Marr Chase, will be at Great American Ball Park for the showdown with the Cleveland Guardians as well.

This season, the Bengals had a remarkable run that resulted in the club’s first postseason win in 31 years. The franchise captured its first AFC Championship since the 1988-89 season.

The Bengals’ season came to a dramatic close in Super Bowl LVI, with a nail-biting loss to the Los Angeles Rams, 23-20.

Despite the loss, local fans have continued to show their support to the upstart team. Legions of fans attended a team rally at Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine on the Wednesday following the Super Bowl.

“See you soon, AFC champs,” the Reds tweeted Tuesday night. “Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Zac Taylor will be at GABP for #RedsOpeningDay.”

The Reds’ game against the Guardians next Tuesday won’t be the Reds’ first of the season; they open the season Thursday night on the road against the Atlanta Braves. But it will be the first of the season in Cincinnati. 

Before the game, the city will mark the unofficial holiday in Cincinnati with the 102nd Findlay Market Opening Day Parade, led by Reds great Barry Larkin, who will serve as grand marshal. The day will also feature numerous events around the city, including a pregame tailgate party at The Banks, just feet away from the Reds’ stadium.

The Bengals will have a float in this year’s Findlay Market parade, the first full parade from 2019. Most of the franchise’s scheduled participants in the parade are members of the team’s first two Super Bowl appearances. They include the likes of Anthony Muñoz, Ickey Woods and David Fulcher.

Besides providing good hopes for the next season, the Reds are hoping the hype surrounding the Bengals registers with fans. Heading into Opening Day, there are still some tickets available to the game, which doesn’t happen often.

The Reds front office believes the ticket sale struggles relates to uncertainty surrounding the timing of the game caused by the preseason lockout that affected the first few weeks of the season.

Still, some fans have voiced anger toward the franchise and its ownership from the Castellini family, for trading off players, such as Sonny Gray, Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker. The team also failed to re-sign Nick Castellanos, who became a fan favorite in his two seasons in Cincinnati.

Many fans went to social media Tuesday night to voice that they believed the Reds were trying to use the Bengals’ success to sell the remaining tickets.

Fans can find the latest ticket information for the game on the Cincinnati Reds website.

 

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