Terry Francona Emerges from Retirement to Lead Reds
The future Hall of Fame manager Terry Francona will come out of retirement to manage the Cincinnati Reds one year to the day after he retired following his 23rd season on an MLB bench.
The Reds are running on young, talented Francona a year after he left the Cleveland Guardians, where he had been running the program for the previous 11 seasons.
After guiding the Boston Red Sox to nearly 55 percent of their games and two World Series, including an 86-year dry spell in 2004, Francona captured almost 55 percent of his games with Cleveland.
But in recent years, the concerns about Francona’s health caused him to miss time, and there was also worry about whether the success had burned him out and continued to coach.
“I need to go home and get healthy and see what I miss about the game,” Francona stated as he announced his resignation from the Guardians on Oct. 3, 2023. I don’t think I’ll manage again.
Can Francona Turn Around the Reds’ Fortunes?
He promised to return on the opposite side of the state in 2024 on Oct. 3, saying his team underachieved this season. It is disappointing as that finish was after a stunning 82-80 in 2023, injuries notwithstanding, the Reds slipped through to finish 77-85.
Less than a year after paying Bell to finish his contract, they handed Francona the keys to a group with high upside, with his hiring first reported by MLB.com.
Elly De La Cruz is a 22-year-old star shortstop, and the Reds’ young position player group of Matt McLain coming back next season, along with Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, Jonathan India, Noelvi Marte and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, has plenty of potential.
It applies to a pitching staff led by Hunter Greene and bolstered by Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and rookie Rhett Lowder. At No. 1950, Francona is to earn 1,950 victories in his career, including 285 in his first job with the Philadelphia Phillies, more than a quarter century ago, to pass Leo Durocher for 12th on the all-time list of managers with 2,009 wins.
If the Reds have the sort of season they hope Francona can help turn around, he could leapfrog Walter Alston, 11th with 2,040 victories. Francona, a major league outfielder for ten seasons before injuries sidelined him, spent 1987 with the Reds. Francona’s hiring could be announced this week.
For more, Follow Sports Dribble on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.
Discover more from SPORTS DRIBBLE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
