Reds Beat: ‘I’m a (f-ing) Red’ Terry Francona Won’t Be A Distraction To His Players, Many Infield Decisions Await

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Spring Training is a time to get ready for the season, not cumbaya reunions.

Terry Francona made that much clear Thursday as he discussed his travel plans for Saturday and the first day of Cactus League games in Arizona.

The Reds open with a split squad day of games, playing Cleveland in Goodyear while the other squad will take on Milwaukee in Maryvale. Cleveland, of course, is where he spent 11 seasons managing and still has many friends over there from his tenure, which ended following the 2023 season.

Instead of glad-handing, Francona will take the low-key approach and watch Graham Ashcraft take the hill against the Brewers.

“You know what? These games need to be about the players. It’s just not the right time to have a hug fest. You know? I just want these guys to know how important they are. I’m a (freaking) red and so I’m gonna go over to Maryvale. (Bench coach Brad) Mills is going to Maryvale. We need these guys to know we’re invested in what we’re doing here.”

Freddie Benavides will assume managerial duties against Cleveland in Goodyear, where Hunter Greene will make his first start of the spring.

The infield competition at third base figures to be a fascinating one to watch this spring, with trimmer and fit Jeimer Candelario and Gavin Lux battling for time. Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who got a handful of looks at the position when he came up in 2023, also took some reps Thursday. Noticeable by his absence on Wednesday and Thursday was Noelvi Marte, who was getting reps on the back fields with minor leaguers.

The infield is a crowded situation, even after the trade of Jonathan India to Kansas City and Francona has a wealth of versatile players who can play multiple positions around the horn. Elly De La Cruz appears set at shortstop with Santiago Espinal and Matt McLain as backups there. Lux can play second or third, with second base being his most experienced spot.

McLain has the job at second with De La Cruz at short. At first, Encarnacion-Strand will get the primary reps there and could wind up the first baseman out of camp. But there’s so much to play out, and that’s what Francona will allow to happen this spring, hoping the decision becomes obvious in plain sight.

One guess for now is: Lux 3B, Elly SS, McLain 2B, CES 1B. Backups are Espinal and Candelario. Certainly, Candelario is getting paid to be more than a backup and Candelario and Lux could form a platoon at third while the same could be said of Candelario and CES at first. Spencer Steer has plenty of first base experience and could work his way in there as well.

Observations from Reds Full Squad Day 4:

Terry Francona says Rhett Lowder “feels great” and is making great progress.

Francona says Andrew Abbott has made “good progression” on his left shoulder but still will be deliberate in his work this spring.

Rhett Lowder (shoulder) “feels really good… timetable will work itself out”

Spencer Steer (shoulder) took live BP Thursday. Francona says he will start throwing “fairly soon”

With Francona looking on, Emilio Pagan looked impressive in live BP striking out CES, CES also had a line drive to the gap in left-center.

Matt McLain continues to look sharp at the plate and in the field during drills.

Gavin Lux, playing third, very vocal instructing Elly De La Cruz to be sure to “get out of the way” quickly during rundown drills.

Tony Santillan looked impressive in his live BP, facing Elly De La Cruz among others.

Infield Thursday featured CES, Lux and Candelario at 3B, Elly and Espinal at SS and McLain at 2B

Infielder Noelvi Marte worked with minor leaguers for a second straight day

Pitching announced for Saturday. Greene starts in Goodyear against Cleveland, followed by Gibaut, Phillips, Rogers, Shaw, Torres Jr. In Maryvale against Milw. Graham Ashcraft starts, followed by Luis Mey, Chase Petty, Richardson, Young and Zulueta.

On the broadcast side, FanDuel Sports Network, in partnership with the Cincinnati Reds, announced Thursday pricing for its Direct to Consumer (DTC) offering, designed to make Reds games accessible to Reds fans in the Reds regional TV territory.

This season marks the first time Reds games will be available direct-to-consumer as part of the new local media rights agreement between the club and network. This new streaming option will give fans throughout the Reds regional TV territory access to its Reds coverage with no local blackouts. The DTC option for fans is available for purchase with monthly, season pass and annual options.
 

Monthly Plan:

For $19.99 per month, fans will gain access to all content available on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio. This includes exclusive Reds Spring Training and regular season coverage (schedule announcements forthcoming) as well as the network’s Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Cavaliers coverage.

Season Pass:

Fans wanting to lock in the full 2025 season of Reds coverage on FanDuel Sports Network with a one-time, discounted purchase can opt for the Season Pass. The Season Pass starts at $105.99 beginning March 20, giving fans early access to the Regular Season. Fans looking to watch Cardinals Spring Training games on the network can subscribe for $122.99 starting Feb. 21. This package also includes the network’s Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Cavaliers coverage during the Reds season time period.

Annual Pass:

Another purchase option is the annual pass. The 12-month subscription is available for $189.99 and will provide access to all content available on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, including Cincinnati Reds, Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Cavaliers coverage.

For all plans, fans can visit www.FanDuelSportsNetwork.com/packages or www.getmyhometeams.com to confirm availability by their zip code.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE & STREAM 
Fans can subscribe to stream FanDuel Sports Network by signing up at FanDuelSportsNetwork.com. Fans can access their DTC subscription and stream regionally produced Reds games live through the FanDuel Sports Network app or on FanDuelSportsNetwork.com when they use their log-in credentials.

APP AVAILABILITY
The FanDuel Sports Network app is available for download on most iOS devices, on most Android devices, and on most Windows PCs and tablets. It is also available on several living-room/connected-device platforms. Click HERE for a full list of supported devices.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME
Amazon Prime customers can now subscribe to stream Reds coverage on FanDuel Sports Network through Prime Video. To get started, visit www.Amazon.com/channels and search for the FanDuel Sports Network channel to subscribe. 

REDS COVERAGE CONTINUES TO BE AVAILABLE ON CABLE, SATELLITE, & STREAMING PROVIDERS
FanDuel Sports Network Ohio remains widely available on cable, satellite, and streaming providers. Visit www.getmyhometeams.com for options in your zip code. Fans can stream FanDuel Sports Network’s Reds coverage on the FanDuel Sports Network app and www.FanDuelSportsNetwork.com by simply logging in to the app using their pay-TV subscription credentials.

REDS REGIONAL TV TERRITORY
Reds regional TV territory, as defined by Major League Baseball, is portions of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Mississippi. Reds telecasts are available in those MLB-defined territories on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network South and Southeast, FanDuel Sports Network Indiana and streaming direct to consumer on the FanDuel Sports Network app. Fans can visit www.getmyhometeams.com to see which teams are available on FanDuel Sports Network.