Terry Francona’s Fourth Act

After taking last season off due to health issues, Terry Francona returned a lot sooner than anticipated. He recently signed a three-year deal to be the Cincinnati Reds’ new manager. His contract also includes a team option for a fourth year. The long-time manager returns to the team where he once was a player. This will also be the first time since 2000 that Francona is managing a National League team. He’s spent the previous 19 seasons managing in the American League for the Red Sox and most recently the Guardians. Francona has had a lot of success over the past 19 seasons, and can he duplicate that with the Reds after a year away?

The Reds Had A Disappointing Season In 2024

Despite having high expectations to be a playoff contender, the Cincinnati Reds were one of this season’s biggest disappointments. Due in part to injuries, they finished the 2024 season in fourth place in the NL Central with a record of 77-85. The Reds finished so far below expectations that manager David Bell was fired with five games left in the season. With the Reds on the verge of opening a contention window, Cincinnati needed a proven winner to be their leader.

Luring Terry Francona Out Of Retirement

Four days after the season ended, the team lured veteran manager Terry Francona out of retirement to be their new skipper. The 65-year-old took the entire 2024 season off due to health issues. One can argue that he returned to the game much sooner than expected. However, there is no denying the pedigree and credibility he brings to Cincinnati. Francona has a career-winning percentage of .538 and will most likely win his 2,000^th career game next season. He helped the Red Sox win two World Series titles and led the Guardians to their first championship appearance since 1997. He also combined to lead both teams to five division titles and 11 total postseason appearances.

Francona Inherits A Young And Up-And-Coming Club

Terry Francona shouldn’t have to make that big of an adjustment to the kind of market the Reds are in. Cleveland and Cincinnati both use the “draft, develop, and trade” philosophy to run their respective teams. The longtime manager inherits a young and up-and-coming club. He’ll have a roster featuring young stars like Elly De La Cruz, Hunter Greene, Matt McClain, Jonathan India, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Given what Francona is inheriting, he’ll have plenty of ingredients to help this team open its contention window.

Hiring Francona Is A “High Risk High Reward” Scenario

It’s a “high risk high reward” scenario whenever a team hires a manager who has been away from the game. There’s always a chance that the game has “passed them by.” A team could be like the Texas Rangers who hired Bruce Bochy after a four-year hiatus and won the World Series. On the other hand, the decision can be a disaster like it was for the Chicago White Sox with Tony LaRussa.

The Reds Hope His Success Carries Over

After taking last season off, Terry Francona has returned to the dugout. Fortunately for the Reds, he decided to make the over three-and-a-half-hour trek from Cleveland to manage their team. The longtime manager will be inheriting a young club that is on the verge of opening its contention window. However, there should be some concern about whether or not the game has “passed him by.” We’ve seen this happen to countless successful managers whenever they decide to return after a hiatus. There is no denying the success he brings with him and the hope is that it carries over into Cincinnati.

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