‘It just felt right’: Terry Francona shared why he decided to return to the MLB

Francona stepped down as manager of the Cleveland Guardians last year due to health concerns.

Former Red Sox and Guardians manager Terry Francona is back in the majors. A year after leaving Cleveland due to recurring health issues, the 65-year-old was officially introduced as the Cincinnati Reds’ manager earlier this week.

During his 11 seasons with the Guardians, Francona had to take several breaks because it was getting difficult for his health to keep up with the rigor of the job. In an interview with The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy, he shared what sparked his desire to return.

“I had a year away from the game where I had a chance to lead a normal life and got healthy,” Francona said. “I watched more baseball than I have in a long time, but I didn’t really have a yearning like I had to come back and manage.”

Francona has undergone over 40 surgeries and still worries about his health, but recovery has gone well over the past year. Speaking with the Reds brought back that spark, and as their conversation went on, “the more excited I got.”

“An hour into the interview, I was saying stuff about them and saying ‘we.’ It just felt right,” Francona said.

Francona, who managed the Red Sox from 2004-11 and won two World Series titles during his tenure, will be back in Boston on June 30, 2025, for the first in a three-game series between the two teams.