Washington (AFP) – Terry Francona, who guided the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles, was hired Friday as manager of the Cincinnati Reds on a three-year Major League Baseball contract. The 65-year-old American, whose 10-season playing career included a stint with the Reds in 1987, managed the Cleveland Guardians for 11 seasons before stepping down last October.
Francona’s arrival came 12 days after the Reds dumped manager David Bell following a 77-85 season. In six campaigns under Bell, the Reds went 409-456 and lost their only playoff series in 2020. The Reds have not won a playoff series since 1995 and have not captured the World Series crown since 1990.
Francona has managed three teams over a 23-year career as a bench boss, compiling a 1,950-1,672 record with the Philadelphia Phillies (1997-2000), Red Sox (2004-2011), and Guardians (2013-2023). He managed the Red Sox to World Series crowns in 2004 and 2007, the first MLB titles for Boston since 1918.
Francona never reached the playoffs with Philadelphia from 1997-2000 but took the Red Sox into the post-season five times in eight years before not being retained for the 2012 campaign. In 2013, Francona was hired as manager at Cleveland and guided the team into the playoffs for the first time in six years.
In 2016, he guided Cleveland into the World Series but lost a seven-game classic to the Chicago Cubs. Francona went 921-757 with Cleveland, which made six playoff trips in his 11 seasons.
Francona was named the American League Manager of the Year in 2013, 2016, and 2022 but stepped down after the 2023 campaign over health issues.
© 2024 AFP
