Eleven days after parting ways with manager David Bell, the Cincinnati Reds have found his replacement.
According to multiple sources, the Reds will announce that two-time World Series-winning manager Terry Francona will come out of his one-year retirement to manage the team he played for in 1987.
The news comes one year to the day after Francona stepped down as manager of the Cleveland Guardians. A need to focus on his health was cited as one of the key reasons at the time that he was leaving the team that he managed for 11 seasons.
Francona had missed large chunks of the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to health issues but amassed a 921-757 record in his decade-plus at Cleveland’s helm.
A 10-year journeyman Major League Baseball journeyman as a player, Francona made his managerial debut in the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997, a team he managed through the 2000 season.
After a four-year hiatus from managing, Francona re-emerged as the manager of the Boston Red Sox in a dynamic manner, guiding the team to its first World Series title in 86 years in 2004. Boston won the title again in 2007, but a collapse at the end of the 2011 campaign led to the end of Francona’s time with the team.
“Tito,” as he is affectionately known, was named Cleveland manager in 2013. While Francona was unable to end the Indians/Guardians championship drought, he led the team to the 2016 American League pennant. Cleveland lost the World Series to the Chicago Cubs, the Cubs’ first title since 1908.
In 23 MLB seasons as manager, Francona has a 1,950-1,672 record.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, an official announcement from the Reds making Francona their new manager is expected as soon as Friday.
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