REPORT: Reds Hire Winningest Manager In Guardians Franchise History

The Cincinnati Reds have reportedly hired Terry Francona to be the franchise's new manager.

Jul 19, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona (77) looks on from the dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

A year ago, the Cleveland Guardians organziation and fan base said goodbye to future hall of fame manager Terry Francona as he stepped down as the team's skipper to focus on his health.

But Francona was really hesitant to use the word "retire" as he stepped away from his role in Cleveland, and now it appears Tito is back in the dugout. The Cincinnati Reds have reportedly hired him to replace David Bell, who was relieved of his duties at the end of September. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand was the first to report this news.

This will be Francona's fourth team, for which he has been the lead skipper during his long tenure in baseball.

Tito got his start as a manager with the Philadelphia Phillies and spent four seasons with them from 1997-2000. He then traveled up the East Coast to manage the Boston Red Sox from 2004-2011 and won two World Series with the team.

Finally, he came to Cleveland and was the Guardians' manager from 2013 to 2023. Tito led the team to multiple playoff appearances, including a World Series run in 2016, before losing to the Chicago Cubs in seven games. He has accumulated 1,950 wins in his career, good for 13th all-time in MLB history.

Sep 26, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; An image of Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona (77) is shown on the center field scoreboard during introductions before a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

It's certainly going to be weird seeing Francona, Cleveland's all-time winningest manager, manage the Guardians in-state rival.

When he stepped down from his position with the Guardians, Chris Antonetti said that Tito would have an unnamed role within the organization. It certainly seemed like his days as a manager of a big league team were likely over.

Tito is the perfect manager for a team looking to win-now and one that's going through a rebuild making him a great choice for the Reds. It'll still take some time getting used to seeing him in this new jersey, though.