CLEVELAND, Ohio — Terry Francona says he never expected to be back in a major league dugout after retiring following the 2023 season, let alone making a returning to Cleveland as an opposing manager. Yet on his first trip back to the ballpark where he spent 11 seasons, Francona finds himself balancing both his competitive drive and the emotional connections that made his time here so meaningful.
“I had 11 really fun years here, and I had some great relationships — that never changes,” Francona said before his Cincinnati Reds faced his former team on Monday. “But now we’re trying to figure out a way to beat them tonight. That’s kind of why we’re here. They’ll never take away how I feel about people here.”
The ballpark looks different to Francona after renovations, particularly the clubhouse areas. “It’s really different,” he noted. “I don’t think I’ve seen the whole thing yet just because I don’t feel like icing down my knees (after the long walk between clubhouses). But there’s a lot (different). It’s nice.”
When Francona left Cleveland, he seemed adamant his managing days were over because of health concerns that affected his ability to perform the job to his standards.
“A lot of people don’t believe me, but I was not planning on doing this again,” Francona explained. “I went home. I didn’t think I was doing my job the way you’re supposed to. I think a lot of that was health.”
Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona acknowledges the appreciation from the fans on his last game managing the club this year at Progressive Field as he retires from baseball. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
The physical toll had started to affect other aspects of how he managed games. “When you start not feeling great physically, then all of a sudden you start getting short on patience,” Francona said. “I wasn’t able to have conversations with players that I thought were necessary all the time. It was just getting harder. I felt like I was letting people down.”
Francona says enjoyed his year away from the game, watching more baseball as a fan than he had in years. He deliberately maintained distance from Cleveland’s organization to give Stephen Vogt and his staff space. “I just didn’t think it was right,” he said of potentially visiting. “They needed to be able to do things. They don’t need me telling them how to do it or acting like I’m going to tell them how to do it.”
His return to managing came unexpectedly when Cincinnati executives Nick Krall and Brad Meador visited him at home.
“I literally talked to them in my rocking chair,” Francona recalled. “It just felt a lot like the Cleveland guys (Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff). And at this point in my life and my career, going through stuff with people that I really respect and care about is probably more important than what our payroll is.”
Those connections resonate deeply with Francona, who treasures the relationships he has built throughout the game. He admitted that getting a text message from one of the longtime Cleveland clubhouse attendants late Sunday made his whole day.
“To me, that’s baseball,” he said. “That stuff never changes. And the people in the game make it really special.”
When asked about his expectations about the reception he will receive from fans, Francona dismissed the question with his trademark dry humor: “Half of ‘em probably want (to give) their t-shirts back, the ones they gave out. I mean, I’m on a different team, and I don’t think I’ve ever spent two seconds thinking about stuff like that.”
Francona admits he doesn’t have the same energy level as earlier in his career, but he believes he can succeed with the Reds.
“I think I can do the job,” he said. “I don’t want to shortchange anybody. I don’t think that’s fair to anybody.”
Despite now wearing Cincinnati’s colors, Francona maintains connections with players like José Ramírez. “I always send notes to Hosey through (Guardians interpreter Agustin Rivero), probably about once a month,” he revealed. “I sent him a bunch last year. So in a weird way, I have kept up with him.”
Francona says he has always appreciated Ramírez’s development and playing style, having had a front row seat from the time the Dominican slugger first reached the majors.
“This kid made himself into one of the best players in the game,” Francona noted, emphasizing his appreciation was not just about Ramírez’s impressive statistics, but also his approach to the game.
“It’s the way he plays, and he’s always done that,” Francona said. “As the game slows down for you, you don’t have to slow down.”
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