Terry Francona is apparently feeling better.
A year after the veteran coach resigned from his position with the Cleveland Guardians, the Cincinnati Reds hired him as their new coach. according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Reds fired manager David Bell last month after six seasons.
Francona’s departure from Cleveland was billed as a retirement amid health concerns for the 65-year-old. Francona even said that he did not see himself directing again, although he also seemed to leave some doors open, through MLB.com:
“I never cared much about the word ‘retire’ because I guess when you say ‘retire’ it’s like you go home and do nothing,” Francona said. “I know I need to come home, recover and see what I miss about our game. And then, maybe after a while, we’ll look at the best way to satisfy that appetite, whatever it may be.
“I don’t plan to direct. Again, I don’t have a crystal ball. Nobody does it. Because if I were to make it, I’d like to make it here. But I also don’t want to just walk away from the game.”
Now, a year later. Francona returns to the MLB, with the other team in Ohio. The Reds will be the fourth team he has managed in a coaching career that dates back to 1997.
Francona brings a resume that no other Cincinnati candidate could match. He has a 1,948-1,670 record in 23 years, with two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox, another American League title with the Guardians and three Manager of the Year awards.
He will be tasked with achieving similar results for a team that has made the playoffs once in the last 11 years and hasn’t won a playoff series since 1995. The Reds took a notable step back this season, going from 82-80 in 2023. to 77-85 in 2024.
However, the Reds do not lack talent. Elly De La Cruz has become one of the faces of the MLB and Hunter Greene was one of the best pitchers in the National League this season. However, behind them there is a lot to work on. The Reds also have some young talent, such as the 14th-ranked farm system in baseball according to MLB Pipeline.