Baseball fans are rejoicing as spring training has finally begun.

The Guardians took the field in Goodyear, Ariz., and lost the Cactus League opener to the Cincinnati Reds 6-3.

Terry Francona is now managing the Reds. He took a year off after a decade of outstanding work as Cleveland’s manager.

He didn’t attend the game in order to avoid an emotional scene. Instead, he managed another batch of Reds against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Another familiar face, longtime Cleveland reliever Bryan Shaw, started the game for Cincinnati.

HOT START

Cleveland wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Lane Thomas hit a two-run homer to score leadoff man Brayan Rocchio, who had three hits.

The Reds got a run back in the bottom of the first when Elly De La Cruz homered off Triston McKenzie.

Logan Allen took over on the mound for Cleveland in the third, and he also gave up a solo homer to De La Cruz.

ROUGH FINISH

Cleveland reliever Luis Frias surrendered a three-run bomb to Reds catcher Will Banfield in the sixth inning.

Frias’s day got worse when he gave up an RBI single to outfielder Jay Allen.

Cleveland picked up one more run in the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Yordys Valdes.

Gabriel Arias started at second base for the Guardians, as he will be a contender for that wide-open starting job.

Cleveland will host the Los Angeles Angels today at 3:05 p.m.