Francona tells Reds vets to avoid ABS challenges: 'Muddies the waters'

Don't expect any veteran hitters on the Cincinnati Reds to ask for a challenge on balls and strikes this spring.

Reds manager Terry Francona said Friday that he's instructed his veteran players to avoid challenging a ball or strike call via the ABS system being tested by MLB this spring.

"We're not using it (in the regular season), so why work on a strategy we're not going to use?" Francona said, according to The Athletic's C. Trent Rosecrans. "It just muddies the waters."

The ABS system is expected to be utilized in all Triple-A stadiums this season. Under the rule, players can challenge a strike zone call from the home plate umpire. Teams are granted two challenges per game but don't lose one if they successfully get the call overturned.

"I'll be interested in seeing how it works, but I'm OK with seeing our younger kids do it because they've done it," Francona said. "It's not a strategy for us (at the major-league level), so why work on it? I don't want to make a farce of anything, but we're here getting ready for a season and that's not helping us get ready."

Francona is entering his first season as manager in Cincinnati. The Reds hired the two-time World Series champion in October after firing manager David Bell with five games remaining in the 2024 campaign. Cincinnati is looking to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2020 and only the second occasion since 2013.