SCOTTSDALE, Arizona − The Cincinnati Reds' bats went quiet against the San Francisco Giants in a 5-2 loss at Scottsdale Stadium on Sunday. Nick Martinez made relatively quick work of the Giants in his Cactus League debut after Reds manager Terry Francona endorsed Martinez to join the club's rotation earlier in the day.

Cincinnati Reds All-Star Elly De La Cruz hit home runs from both sides of the plate in his first two at-bats as the Reds opened Cactus League play.

Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Nick Martinez (28) throws live batting practice during spring training workouts, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, at the team’s spring training facility in

Francona sounds more interested in preparing the Reds for the season — his first as their manager — than helping add more data in an ABS test run.

New Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona plans to opt out of elective participation in the automated ball-strike challenge trial during spring training, but he is still willing to let the organization’s minor league players get accustomed to the system ABS is a system that is being tried out at 13 ballparks in spring training,