So, you’re looking for the Reds game today time. I get it. The itch for baseball in the middle of January is real, especially when the Cincinnati weather is doing that gray-on-gray thing it loves so much.
But here’s the cold, hard truth: There is no Reds game today. Not on the field, anyway.
If you look at the calendar, we are currently in the deep "hot stove" portion of the winter. But don't click away yet. While Great American Ball Park is quiet and covered in a light dusting of frost, the front office just had one of its busiest days of the entire year. If you’re a fan trying to figure out when you can actually sit in a red seat with a spicy big red smoky in your hand, you need to mark a few specific dates—because the 2026 season is actually starting much sooner than you think.
Reds Game Today Time: When Does the Real Action Start?
Since there’s no game today, January 15, 2026, your next real chance to see the squad is during Spring Training in Goodyear, Arizona.
Major League Baseball is doing things a bit differently this year. Because 2026 is a World Baseball Classic (WBC) year, the schedule has been pulled forward. Pitchers and catchers are reporting on February 9, which is basically right around the corner.
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Here is the breakdown of when the "quiet" ends:
- February 21, 2026: The first actual game. It’s a Cactus League matchup against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark. The game time is set for 3:05 PM EST (1:05 PM local Arizona time).
- March 4, 2026: A weird, cool outlier. The Reds will play the Cuban National Team at 1:05 PM MST.
- March 26, 2026: This is the one you actually care about. Opening Day. The Reds host the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PM EDT.
What Happened Today While the Field Was Empty?
Even though nobody is swinging a bat in Cincinnati today, the Reds made headlines. Today marked the opening of the 2026 International Signing Period.
While casual fans are checking the "Reds game today time," die-hards are looking at the $7.3 million bonus pool the team just started spending. The big news? The Reds officially signed Angel Nuñez, a 17-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic who is widely considered a top-10 international prospect.
Think of it this way: Today wasn't about winning a game; it was about finding the next Elly De La Cruz. Nuñez is a left-handed hitter with elite speed (clocked at a 6.5-second 60-yard dash). He’s not going to help the win column this afternoon, but he’s the reason the franchise stays relevant three years from now.
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The Pierce Johnson Factor
If you missed the news late last night and early this morning, the bullpen got a massive veteran boost. The Reds finalized a one-year, $6.5 million deal with right-hander Pierce Johnson.
This is a "Tito" move. Manager Terry Francona—who, let’s be honest, has completely changed the vibe in that clubhouse since taking over—loves reliable veteran arms. Johnson is coming off a solid year with Atlanta where he retired 26 straight batters at one point. He’s best friends with Reds closer Emilio Pagán, which apparently made the recruitment process pretty easy.
Honestly, the Reds’ bullpen was a bit of a question mark heading into the winter after losing guys like Nick Martinez and Brent Suter. Adding Johnson alongside Pagán and Caleb Ferguson gives this team a bridge to the 9th inning that they desperately needed last October.
Why the 2026 Schedule Feels Different
Usually, we’re waiting until the tail end of March for things to get spicy. Not this year.
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Because of that early March 26 Opening Day—the earliest "traditional" Opening Day in the history of the sport—the intensity in camp is going to be high from day one. You’ve also got the "Rivalry Weekend" returning in May (the Reds will be dealing with some heavy hitters then), and a schedule that includes more interleague play than we're used to.
The Reds finished 2025 with a 3.89 ERA, good for 8th in the National League. They made the postseason but lacked the "big bopper" in the lineup to move deep into October. The front office is still taking heat from fans for not signing a massive power bat (the Kyle Schwarber rumors ended in heartbreak), but the logic seems to be that a healthy Matt McLain and a more disciplined Elly De La Cruz will provide that internal growth.
Your Action Plan for Reds Baseball
Since you can't watch a game today, here is how you prepare for the 4:10 PM first pitch on March 26:
- Check the Spring Breakout: On March 19, the Reds prospects play the Giants' top youngsters. It’s a televised look at the future of the team.
- Verify your TV provider: With the ongoing shifts in regional sports networks, make sure you actually have access to the channel formerly known as Bally Sports (or whatever the 2026 iteration is in your zip code) before Opening Day arrives.
- Watch the WBC: Since several Reds stars will be playing for their home countries in early March, the "game today" might actually be happening in Florida or Japan under a different jersey.
The wait for Cincinnati baseball is almost over. We are roughly 37 days away from the first pitch in Arizona and 70 days away from a sold-out crowd in the Queen City.
To stay ahead of the curve, make sure you've downloaded the MLB Ballpark app now to sync the 2026 schedule directly to your phone calendar. This ensures you'll never have to search for a game time manually when the season actually kicks off in March. Keep an eye on the non-roster invitee list coming out next week, as that usually signals which "diamonds in the rough" Francona is looking to stash in the bullpen for the April grind.