Several of the Reds minor leaguers have prior experience with the ABS challenge system, which, along with full ABS (all balls and strikes automated) was tested at the Double and Triple-A levels in '23 and '24. By the end of '24, full ABS was dropped in favor of the happy middle ground, the ABS challenge system.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Terry Francona, the winningest manager in Cleveland history, will not be in the dugout when his new team, the Cincinnati Reds, opens the Cactus League season against the Guardians on Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark.

Reds manager Terry Francona plans to opt out of elective participation in the automated ball-strike challenge trial during spring training but is willing to let Cincinnati's minor league players accustomed to the procedure use challenges.

Cincinnati Reds games will be available to stream on a new platform this season: Amazon Prime. It wasn't clear until recently where Reds fans would be able to watch games in 2025 after the company that owned Bally Sports, the team's previous home, declared bankruptcy.

It's been a complaint of Reds fans for almost a decade since many of them started cutting the cable cord: You could stream Reds games on your TV, phone, or tablet, but only if you subscribed to a TV package.