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CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati is the home of baseball's first professional team and understands the pageantry and excitement of Opening Day like few other cities. The Reds are always given the opportunity to open a season at home.
The 142nd Opening Day in Cincinnati is set for Thursday when the Reds host the Nationals at Great American Ball Park. Long before the 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch, the city will be in full celebration mode. This will be the first time the Nationals open in Cincinnati, and it's the first time for the franchise since the Montreal Expos in 1996.
The Nationals are one of the top teams in baseball and a leading contender to reach the postseason. The Reds are trying to put four seasons of rebuilding in the rear view and focus on progress and getting back to contending.
But both teams feature some of baseball's marquee names with Bryce Harper from Washington and Cincinnati's Joey Votto.
Harper, who is in his final season before free agency, is a perennial MVP contender, including winning it in 2015, and was a leading candidate last season until he suffered a hyperextended in August and missed a month.
Meanwhile, Votto started all 162 games of 2017 and finished two points behind Giancarlo Stanton from winning his second National League MVP crown. He previously won the award in 2010.
Recently, and before he was officially named Opening Day starter for the Nationals, Max Scherzer was already preparing for Votto. General manager Mike Rizzo searched the team complex looking for Scherzer before finally locating him alone in a video room -- studying clips of Votto.
Scherzer, who has won back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards, will be making his third Opening Day start for Washington.
"It's always an honor," Scherzer said. "To start Opening Day, it's a great day of baseball. Everybody's got those jitters about what's going to happen in the upcoming year. You get to toe the mound, you're the first one out there. It's an exciting time. It doesn't get old. You always have a smile on your face any time you get that nod. Obviously, I look forward to pitching in Cincinnati."
Cincinnati will be starting Homer Bailey, who has been unavailable for the last three openers because of three separate elbow surgery rehabs. Bailey, who broke into the Majors in 2007 and has two no-hitters on his resume, will be starting on Opening Day for the first time in his career.
"The last few years have been a little rough. It beats still having stitches in your arm at that time or stuff like that," said Bailey, who was 6-9, with a 6.43 ERA in 18 starts after his return in June. "Yeah, it's definitely better than that."
Washington won 97 games and the NL East last season, but was eliminated by the Cubs in the NL Division Series. Scherzer is aiming for much more in 2018.
"We know we're capable of winning this whole thing," said Scherzer, who was 16-6, with a 2.51 ERA in 31 starts and 200 2/3 innings. "We know we can compete with anybody. That's a fact. Go ask any other ballclub in this league, go ask anybody."
Long before the 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch, the city will be in full celebration mode. Near the ballpark, it begins with an 11 a.m. block party outside.
All that will be missing from the usual activities is the annual Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. The 99th edition of the parade was moved to Monday before the Reds play the Cubs because it is Easter week, the busiest time of the year for the market's vendors.
Three things to know about this game
• Thursday's game will mark the official managing debut of Nationals skipper Dave Martinez, who replaced Dusty Baker after last season's playoff exit.
• While Votto had his usually tepid spring, the Reds hottest hitter in camp overall was Scott Schebler. The right fielder batted .442 (19-for-43) with three home runs, five doubles, 16 RBIs and 10 runs.
• Harper has five Opening Day home runs in his career, including one in each of the last three seasons and two in the 2013 opener.