Terry Francona has dedicated much of his life to America’s Pastime, playing in the big leagues for nearly a decade before crafting a Hall of Fame career as a manager. It has come at a great cost, though. The two-time World Series-winning skipper has battled a myriad of health problems over the years, eventually bringing about his retirement after the 2023 season. He made the most of his yearlong break from the game, however, and is now set to lead a potentially exciting era of Cincinnati Reds baseball.
Francona underwent surgeries to replace his shoulder and repair a double hernia shortly after his retirement and got himself physically to a level where he felt like he could return to The Show. But Ultimately, the three-time American League Manager of the Year was not interested in coming into just any situation.
The fit needed to make sense. And a small-market, Ohio-based club brimming with talent and youth seems like a perfect match for a man known for his infectious energy.
“I was not thinking about coming back to manage, Francona told MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa and Brian Kenny from the Reds’ spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona. “I had a good year, I really did. When they came {to me}… it just felt right. It felt right 12 years ago when I was in Cleveland, and it felt right again. I like where I’m at, and that’s a good thing.”
Can Terry Francona help the Reds put it all together?
The 24th-year MLB manager sees what many other fans see in this ballclub: Loads of potential. Although he was manning the Cleveland Guardians in 2023, he surely had an eye on Cincinnati’s thrilling midseason surge. The Reds exploded for a 12-game winning streak in June and appeared poised to win the National League Central before eventually cooling off and finishing two games short of a Wild Card slot.
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They were supposed to come of age last season, but regression and injuries hit the team hard, resulting in a disappointing 77-85 campaign. Hope is still bubbling underneath Great American Ball Park, though. And the organization believes Terry Francona is the person to bring it out.
Cincinnati has the ability to do damage in the NL
Superb athlete Elly De La Cruz is coming off an All-Star season in which he stole 67 bases (MLB-best) and slugged .471. He could force himself into NL MVP contention if the coaching staff instills a little more plate discipline in him (MLB-worst 218 strikeouts). Hunter Greene sneakily enjoyed a spectacular year, posting a 2.75 ERA and 169 Ks in 150 1/3 innings. If he can stay healthy, which is always a challenge for the right-handed starting pitcher, a Cy Young is in the cards.
Beyond those two franchise pillars, Cincinnati boasts a plethora of potentially impactful players like Matt McLain, Will Benson, Andrew Abbott, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Spencer Steer, who is dealing with a lingering shoulder issue in spring training.
Francona can only control so much, but if he can sprinkle some of the magic that helped turn the Boston Red Sox into a powerhouse in the mid-2000s and made Cleveland a pennant winner for the first time in two decades in 2016, then a Reds renaissance is a distinct possibility. Regardless of what awaits him and this club, Tito is ready to go on this unexpected yet eagerly anticipated journey.
