Cincinnati Reds rent veteran supervisor Terry Francona

CINCINNATI, Oct. 4 (UPI) — Terry Francona ended his temporary retirement from baseball to just accept a brand new function as supervisor of the Cincinnati Reds, the franchise introduced Friday.

The Reds and Francona agreed to a three-year contract, with a staff possibility for the 2028 season.

“I’m so excited and honored to affix a corporation with the custom and historical past of the Cincinnati Reds,” Francona stated. “I solely performed one season for the Reds in 1987, however in that season, I discovered that Cincinnati is a superb baseball metropolis.

“I need to thank [Reds owner] Bob Castellini, [Reds president] Nick Krall, and [Reds vice president] Brad Meador for giving me this chance to handle the Reds. I can not wait to start out assembly and interacting with these good younger gamers of ours.”

Francona, 65, final served as supervisor of the Cleveland Guardians from 2013 by way of 2023. He stepped down final October. Francona has a 1,950-1,672 report over 23 years as an MLB supervisor.

Francona’s tenure began in 1997 with the Philadelphia Phillies and included an eight-year run with the Boston Red Sox, who gained the World Collection in 2004 and 2007.

Francona posted a 44-34 report in 11 journeys to the postseason. He led the Guardians to the 2016 World Collection, which they misplaced in seven video games to the Chicago Cubs.

Francona additionally spent 10 seasons taking part in in MLB, together with his lone season with the Reds. The previous first baseman, outfielder and pinch hitter hit .274 over 707 appearances. He had a career-high .346 over 58 appearances in 1984 for the Montreal Expos.

The Reds fired supervisor David Bell on Sept. 22. Bell, 52, led the Reds to a 77-85 report and fourth-place end within the 2024 Nationwide League Central division standings.

He took the Reds to a 409-456 report over six seasons, serving to them attain the postseason in the course of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He was employed in 2019 and obtained a three-year contract extension in July 2023. That pact was set to run by way of 2026.

Francona’s 1,950 wins rank No. 13 in MLB historical past.

“Terry is a future Corridor of Fame supervisor that has expertise profitable with younger expertise,” Krall stated. “I am extraordinarily excited that he needed to be a Crimson, and he’s the correct individual to take us towards our objective of profitable a championship.”

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