WEEKEND ROUND-UP: Takeaways From Cincinnati Reds Season-Opening Series Loss to the Giants

CINCINNATI -- Pennants can't be won in April, but they can be lost. That's not to suggest to play with play-not-to-lose mindset. It's to create a greater sense of urgency.

The Reds are 1-2 after their first series of the 2025 season. Yes, it's only three games, but the Reds have some thins to clean up if they're going to be a playoff team.

Let's take a look at some of the positives and the negatives following the Reds' 1-2 start and season-opening series loss to the Giants:

Takeaways from the Reds-Giants Opening Weekend Series

Reds second baseman Matt McLain looked really good this weekend, particularly in the final two games of the series. After an 0-for-5 performance on Opening Day, McLain had home runs in back-to-back games and went 3-for-8 in the final two games of the series.

McLain also looked solid defensively, taking part in three double plays in Saturday's win and making a diving stop on a ground ball for another putout in the Reds 3-2 win.

A guy as big as Christian Encarnacion-Strand should hit the ball hard in most of his at-bats. That's what he did this weekend; hit the ball hard. The ball looked like a rocket coming off Encarnacion-Strand's bat, with two hits in each of the first two games of the series.

Ironically, it was an opposite-field home run that was Encarnacion-Strand's biggest hit of the series. That came in the sixth inning on Saturday, which proved to be the game-winner in the Reds lone win in the series.

Hunter Greene is a bona-fide ace. Different characteristics make up staff aces, and for Greene it's his ability to throw gas right at opposing hitters. Greene threw hard on Opening day, striking out eight Giants hitters in five innings.

Aside from throwing nearly 30 pitches in the fourth inning on Opening Day, Greene was efficient through his five innings of work. Efficiency is going to be the biggest key for Greene this season, for it will allow him to consistently pitch deep into games throughout the season.

Give credit to Nick Lodolo. He didn't have his best stuff early on Saturday as he fell behind 2-0 through the top of the third inning. But the Reds former first-round draft pick bounced back nicely through his final three innings of work, displaying efficiency and his ability to induce ground balls.

Lodolo pitching six innings was crucial towards Terry Francona's bullpen usage on Saturday. Francona only had to worry about the bullpen pitching the final three innings as opposed to the final four innings as was the case on Opening Day.

5. Speaking of the bullpen, it's what all eyes were on this weekend. It was an up-and-down effort in the opening weekend series.

In the game the Reds won on Saturday, the bullpen pitched three scoreless innings including a perfect ninth inning. In the two games the Reds lost, the Reds bullpen allowed six runs.

The success the Reds have in 2025 is going to hinge on their bullpen, and this weekend left some to be desired amongst Reds fans.

Another key to 2025 for the Reds: baserunning. This Reds team likes to run, but they have to be smart about running this season.

The Reds made multiple base-running mistakes in the series this weekend. On Opening Day, left fielder Gavin Lux was thrown out going first to third when he should have stayed at second. The Reds did score two runs on the play, an RBI single by third baseman Jeimer Candelario with the bases loaded, but it could have been an even bigger bottom of the third for the Reds on Opening Day. That inning was an opportunity to break the game on Opening Day. A baserunning mistake thwarted the rally.

On Sunday, the Reds trailed 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth. But with runners on second and third and one out, the opportunity was there to get back in the game. Santiago Espinal was batting, with Elly De La Cruz on deck. Espinal hit a ground ball to third base, and both Reds baserunners runners broke on contact. That made for a double play opportunity for Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, who tagged Reds pinch hitter Jacob Hurtubise running towards third, and thren threw over to first to complete the double play.

Those baserunning mistakes have to be corrected, and it doesn't matter if it's only been through three games. All 162 games count the same.