Beloved Ex-Red Sox Skipper Excited To Manage Reds: 'It Just Felt Right'

The manager who broke the curse will be back at Fenway this summer...

New Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (right) shakes hands with team owner Bob Castellini during an event to introduce the new manager of the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Seeing an old friend in a new uniform is always a jarring experience. in 2025, the Boston Red Sox will see one of their most iconic franchise leaders in a whole new getup.

When the Cincinnati Reds fired manager David Bell at the end of the regular season, it made sense that they would go after someone with a winning pedigree. Cincinnati has one of the most dynamic, young lineups in Major League Baseball, and their failure to make the playoffs in 2024 was a wake-up call for the entire organization.

Still, it was a shock when the news broke Friday that the Reds had landed their new skipper.

Former Red Sox and Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona was announced as the new Reds manager in a surprise announcement on Friday night. MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand was first with the news at the time.

On Monday, the partnership became official. Francona donned a Reds jersey for the first time, kicking off what will soon be his 24th season as a major-league manager.

"I honestly didn't see myself managing again," Francona said in his introductory press conference. "I had a really good year away from the game. The Reds came out to visit and it just felt right."

Francona said he and Reds brass talked for almost five hours, and within minutes, he could feel himself itching to put on the uniform again. The Reds inked him to a three-year contract with a club option for the 2028 season.

Francona's eight-year tenure in Boston saw incredible highs before ending on a sour note. He won the first World Series in Boston since 1918 on the curse-breaking 2004 team, then backed it up with another ring in 2007. But when the Red Sox collapsed out of the playoffs in September of 2011, Francona was abruptly shown the door.

Now, Francona returns to the sport after a year away attending to his health. He has dealt with blood clot issues for several years now, causing him to occasionally miss time during his Guardians tenure. The three-time Manager of the Year seems to have found new zest for the game during his time away.

The Red Sox will be seeing Francona in person soon enough. His new club will visit Fenway Park from Jun. 30 to Jul. 2, 2025, where the Boston legend is sure to get a warm reception.

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