CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona became the 13th manager in MLB history to win 2,000 games after the Reds defeated the Colorado Rockies, 4-2, at Great American Ballpark on Sunday.

Francona, 66, is in his 24th season as an MLB manager and his first with Cincinnati. He previously managed the Philadelphia Phillies (1997-2000), Boston Red Sox (2004-2011) and Cleveland Indians/Guardians (2013-23).

The Reds’ win on Sunday was the team’s final game before the midseason All-Star break, which began Monday and goes through Thursday. When asked if the thought of winning his 2,000th game had crept into his mind prior to Sunday’s game, Francona was straightforward.

“Not even a little bit,” he said.

“I don’t know if you would really believe me, but I wanted to win today so bad to get us to three games over .500. And I was so nervous about that because we’ve got a break now and the guys could regroup.”

The Reds celebrated Francona’s milestone achievement with a congratulatory video featuring former players and coaches including David Ortiz, Francisco Lindor, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Cash, Mike Napoli, Jason Varitek and more.

Francona joins Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy as the only active managers to eclipse 2,000 career wins. Of the previous 11 manager to reach 2,000 wins, 10 are in the Baseball Hall of Fame, including legends such as Connie Mack, Tony La Russa, John McGraw, Joe Torre, Leo Durocher and more. Dusty Baker, who retired from managing the Houston Astros in 2023, is expected to be inducted upon eligibility in 2026.

“I don’t think I’ve ever tried to delude myself. Some of those names up there are kind of like baseball royalty,” Francona said. “If there’s an adjective for baseball lifer, that’s me. I’m not overly smart. I’m a second-semester freshman at Arizona, still. I just love the game, probably too much. I hope I treat the players like I’m supposed to because that’s what I always try to do.”

Francona holds a career record of 2,000-1,719, good for a .515 winning percentage. He won two World Series championships with the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, and was named the American League Manager of the Year three times with Cleveland in 2013, 2016 and 2022. His 921 wins with Cleveland are the most in franchise history, and he ranks second in Red Sox history with 744 wins.

Francona’s decades of success in MLB has earned him the respect of those who covered him day-in and day-out for years, including Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga, Guardians beat reporters for cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer.

“Terry Francona is the best Indians/Guardians manager I’ve covered since my first day on the beat in 1983,” Hoynes said. “He knows how to put players in the right spot to bring out their best qualities on the field. He was a Hall of Famer long before winning 2,000 games, but this certainly helps. Congrats, Tito.”

“Terry Francona’s impact on the game of baseball extends beyond wins and losses and championships and awards,” Noga said. “This is a guy who is renowned for his leadership and the way he connects with players at all stages of their development. The clubhouse culture that he cultivated in Cleveland during the longest managerial tenure in franchise history fostered individual growth and took the club from a consistent winner to a dominant force in the American League Central Division.”

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