The Cincinnati Reds They have hired as their manager Terry Franconawho will return to Major Leagues a year after resigning as pilot of cleveland for health reasons.
A person close to the situation confirmed the contract Thursday, on condition of anonymity because the Reds have not announced the decision.
Francona will replace David Bell, who was fired by the club in the final days of what was his sixth season at the helm.
Bell went 409-456 with the Reds.
Francona, who will turn 66 in April, played for Cincinnati in 1987. He hit .227 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 102 games.
He has appeared little in public since leaving the reins of the Guardians. He briefly returned to Cleveland in the summer to help open a restaurant he co-owns.
One of the most beloved figures in baseball for years, Francona had a record of 1,950,1,672 over 23 seasons as a major league manager with Philadelphia (1997-2000), the Red Sox (2004-2011) and the Guardians. (2013-23).
He was plagued by serious medical problems during his final years in Cleveland, but never considered his departure from the club a retirement.
“I was never really worried about the word ‘retirement,’” he said last year. “I guess when you say retirement, it’s like you go home and do nothing. I don’t feel that way either. We’ll come up with something that makes sense.”
It seems he has found that “something” on the other end of the state of Ohio.
With 1,950 wins, he occupies 13th place on the all-time list, between Casey Stengel (1,905) and Leo Durocher (2,088), two other drivers adored by fans and players.
