The first day of Cincinnati Reds camp started with an hourlong Zoom call at 9 a.m. to discuss health and safety protocols and it ended when Phillip Ervin and Matt Davidson finished their conditioning eight hours later.
Baseball finally returned to Great American Ball Park. Pitchers threw bullpen sessions. Hitters hit homers in batting practice and made that sweet, sweet sound when their wooden bats crack against the ball.
But there were plenty of signs that it’s unlike any "spring training" in baseball history. A few players wore masks on the field. Coaches had masks around their necks when they were actively participating in drills.