Reds sign Terry Francona as next manager: reports

The Cincinnati Reds have reportedly found a man to lead their roster of young superstars.

According to multiple reports, the Reds are ready to hire Terry Francona as coach. MLB.com reported Thursday evening that an official announcement could come Friday.

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August 12, 2023; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Terry Francona (77), manager of the Cleveland Guardians, watches the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. (Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports)

Francona would replace David Bell, who was fired a few games before the end of the season. The Reds hired Bell before the start of the 2019 season when he replaced Bryan Price and Jim Riggleman. Price was fired during the 2018 season and Riggleman took over for the remainder of the year.

Bell never led Cincinnati to a better finish than third place in the National League Central Division. The Reds made the playoffs in the coronavirus-affected 2020 season, but it was their only playoff appearance since 2013.

Bell is 409-456 as a manager.

Francona has an impressive resume.

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August 18, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona (77) takes the field in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. (David Richard-USA TODAY Sports)

He led the Boston Red Sox when the team finally broke the Curse of the Bambino in 2004, going 3-0 in the American League Championship Series to defeat the New York Yankees and later winning the team's first World Series title since 1918. He also led the team to the World Series title in 2007.

Francona then led the then-Cleveland Indians to a World Series appearance, but lost to the Chicago Cubs – who broke their own “Curse of the Goat” and World Series title drought.

He and the current Cleveland Guardians parted ways at the end of the 2023 season.

As a manager, Francona is between 1,950 and 1,672 years old.

August 18, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona (77) takes the field in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. (David Richard-USA TODAY Sports)

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The Reds have a talented team led by Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene. But the team has not yet had the success it had hoped for. The hope is that Francona will be the leader in unlocking that potential.

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