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Barely a year after Terry Francona played his final game with the Cleveland Guardians, the Cincinnati Reds hired the man many consider to be one of the two or three best managers in the game in recent years to replace David Bell.

Multiple sources confirmed the hiring Thursday night immediately after the wild-card round of the playoffs ended.

Francona declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday evening.

According to sources, he is joining the Reds on a three-year contract.

Francona, 65, left the Guardians last year after 11 seasons, largely for health reasons. He was emphatic at the time that he wasn't “retiring,” saying at the time that he hoped to stay in the game somehow.

“I don’t think I can do it (again),” he said at the time. “I don’t have a crystal ball.” Nobody does. Because if I can do it, I'll be happy to do it here (in Cleveland). But I don’t want to just turn away from the game either.”

An April report said his health had improved to the point where he expected to recover in 2026.

It's the second time in two years that a Hall of Fame inductee has come out of “retirement” to manage again. The Texas Rangers hired Bruce Bochy prior to the 2023 season after he was out of managerial duties for three seasons, and the Rangers won their first World Series championship that season.

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Video: Guardians perform Terry Francona tribute at Progressive Field

Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona, who is expected to retire at the end of the 2023 season, received a video tribute at Progressive Field.

Francona, an outfielder and first baseman for 10 years in the major leagues, has 1,950 managerial wins in 23 years as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland.

His 921 in Cleveland is a franchise record.

Francona won the World Series with the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 and led Cleveland to a Game 7 win against the Chicago Cubs in 2016.

As a manager, he has a career winning percentage of .538 and has won 90 or more games 12 times.

The 22nd overall pick in the 1980 draft out of the University of Arizona, Francona spent one season of his playing career with the Reds in 1987, a teammate of Barry Larkin and Buddy Bell.

On By John Fenwick

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