Reds hiring World Series champion manager

Apparently it took Terry Francona exactly 365 days to get healthy and ready to manage an MLB team again.

MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported Thursday that Francona, 65, will be hired by the Cincinnati Reds as their new manager.

The team fired David Bell on Sept. 22 after six seasons.

The announcement comes exactly one year to the day that Francona announced he was stepping down as the Cleveland Guardians manager because of health concerns. He said at the time he was not using the word “retire” and was not ruling out a return to the dugout, but he needed to get healthy. He’s battled a number of health issues in recent years, from blot clots, stomach problems and hip replacement surgery to a staph infection.

Francona is a proven winner in 23 seasons as a manager, winning two World Series championships with the Red Sox and posting a 1,950-1,672 record in stops with the Philadelphia Phillies, Red Sox and Cleveland.

Now, the veteran manager enters a promising situation in Cincinnati. The Reds finished a disappointing 77-85 this season, but have a number of young players on the rise, including shortstop Elly De La Cruz, second baseman Jonathan India, outfielder Spencer Steer, and pitcher Hunter Greene.

To say Reds fans are excited about the news is an understatement.

[MLB.com, Mark Feinsand on X ]

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