What Will the Terry Francona Era Bring?

The 2 time World Series winning skipper has the reigns in Cincy

Francona has been signed to a three-year deal, with a club option for 2028.

The Signing

In January, the Cincinnati Reds made an early offseason splash by hiring Terry Francona as their new manager. Francona, who had previously enjoyed managerial stints with the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians (Guardians), brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and a proven track record to the Reds' organization.

Francona is expected to help guide the Reds' young roster through a crucial developmental phase. His history of winning, including two World Series titles with the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, and consistent playoff appearances with Cleveland, positions him as the ideal candidate to elevate the Reds as a competitive team.

This was a crucial move for the Reds and should have been any needy team's first choice candidate. We had expressed the dire need for firm leadership in the dugout when David Bell was dismissed. Cincinnati hit the jackpot with Francona, but need to capitalize on it.

The Future

It cannot be denied that the Reds have a young, promising, and talented core. However, in today's landscape of gargantuan guaranteed contracts and a lack of a salary cap/floor, competitive windows for small market teams are simply limited. Surely the Reds front office recognizes this, which could have played a large role in the decision to sign Francona. Urgency is of the utmost importance, and this team needs to reach its full potential immediately.

The 2024 Reds finished at a dismal 77-85, just one loss away from last place. The roster has not improved drastically heading into 2025 - there seems to be a heavy emphasis on getting the most out of the current players on the roster. A manager of Francona's caliber should help with that, but is not a certainty.

The front office needs to load the roster as much as possible to take full advantage of the next three years, which will feature possible prime years from players like Matt McLain, Hunter Greene, and Ellly De La Cruz under Francona's tenure.

It will be exciting to see Francona in the dugout in the coming years!