Terry Francona needed some time away from baseball. A year was long enough. One of baseball's most beloved managers, Francona has been hired by the Cincinnati Reds, returning to a team he played for after stepping down in Cleveland following last season because of health reasons.
A person familiar with the situation confirmed the move to The Associated Press on Thursday night on condition of anonymity because the Reds had not announced the decision. An announcement could come later this week. Francona, who won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox, is replacing David Bell , fired by the Reds last month in the final days of his sixth season.
Bell went 409-456 during his tenure. Francona, who turns 66 in April, played as an outfielder for Cincinnati in 1987. He hit .
227 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 102 games. It’s easy to see the appeal of the situation for both Francona and Cincinnati. The Reds went 77-85 this year, but they have one of the game’s most dynamic players in Elly De La Cruz and a potentially deep rotation — fronted by Hunter Greene.
Francona helped All-Star third baseman José Ramírez become one of baseball’s best all-around players in Cleveland, and he should have no problem commanding the attention of Cincinnati’s young roster. After leaving the Guardians, Francona, a three-time AL Manager of the Year, spent time at his new home in Arizona and mostly kept a low profile other than attending basketball games at his alma mater in Tucson. .
