Terry Francona had nothing left to prove as a manager. He won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox and took the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) there with an American League title in 2016. For Francona, however, the love of the game brought him back entering the 2025 season.
The Cincinnati Reds officially named Francona as their next manager on Monday as the ballclub seeks a competitive chance in the National League Central and their first playoff berth since 2020.
“When the Reds called, it kind of surprised me, to be honest with you,” Francona told Chris Russo on MLB Network’s “High Heat” on Monday. “.. It just felt right. At the age and where I’m at in my life, I want to be aligned with people I think, you’re going to get challenged every day. I’m off the charts excited.”
After managing stops in Philadelphia with the Phillies and Boston, Cincinnati marks the second mid-market team for Francona after Cleveland. The veteran skipper will not turn to that identity as an excuse and hopes to reach the ultimate goal as he did twice with the Red Sox.
“That’s a good observation,” Francona added. “What I’m really excited about is this team has got youth and they’re very athletic. It actually reminds me a lot of Cleveland a couple of years ago. That will never be used as an excuse.”
The Reds open the 2025 MLB season against the San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park.