Terry Francona wants to stay with Reds, be part of the ‘solution’

Economy World


CINCINNATI — With one year remaining on his three-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, manager Terry Francona said he’s dedicated to helping the team bounce back from its disappointing 2026 season and has confidence that the team’s front office can do what’s necessary to make that happen.

“When you go through your second year and things don’t go the way you want to, I’ve seen a lot of times things go off the rails,” Francona said before Monday’s series-opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park. “That’s why I want to be part of the solution and I know they do, too. I mean, that’s why we’re here.”

Nick Krall, the team’s president of baseball operations, told reporters in Milwaukee Sunday that he expects the team’s front office and coaching staff to stay relatively unchanged for 2027. The Reds enter Monday’s game against the Dodgers with a 70-79 record and are in last place in the National League Central after making the playoffs in 2025.

Francona, 67, said Krall and general manager Brad Meador were a large part of why he came out of retirement to manage the Reds following the 2024 season.

“I value, especially maybe at my age now, the people,” Francona said. “(That) doesn’t mean you don’t go through tough times — because you do — but when you do, you want to be with people that you’re aligned with and you care about and they care about you.”

Francona said his relationship with the front office has only gotten stronger in his two seasons with the club.

“One thing I really appreciate is it’s not who f—d up, it’s how to make it better,” Francona said. “That’s a good way to go about things.”

Before joining the Reds, Francona won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox and took the Cleveland Guardians to a World Series. He signed with the Reds on a three-year deal with a team option following the 2024 season.

Eugenio Suárez #28 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds third base and scores on a triple hit by Will Benson #30 during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on March 30, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Eugenio Suárez hasn’t been able to replicate his power numbers with the Diamondbacks and Mariners from last season in his return to Cincinnati. (Jeff Dean / Getty Images)

Last season, the Reds made the playoffs. During the offseason, they added slugger Eugenio Suárez on a one-year deal in an attempt to upgrade the team’s offense. After hitting 49 home runs in 2025, Suárez has 24 this season.

The Reds opened the season 20-11 and were atop the NL Central after the first month, but have gone 50-68 since then, including a 27-27 record since the All-Star break. The team’s offense is last in baseball in batting average (.230) and its .308 on-base percentage is among the worst in the game. Only four teams have scored fewer runs than the Reds’ 624 entering Monday.

The Reds’ front office made a couple of small moves at the trade deadline, but held onto assets like catcher Tyler Stephenson and starter Brady Singer, two impending free agents.

With three more losses, this will be the Reds’ third losing season in Krall’s six as the head of the team’s baseball operations department. The Reds have just one playoff appearance since Krall took over following the 2020 season, last year’s two-game exit against the Dodgers in the National League Wild Card Series. The Reds haven’t won a playoff series — or playoff game in Cincinnati — since 1995.