Has The Game of Baseball Passed Terry Francona By In 2026?

There is no doubt that Terry Francona has established himself as one of the game's greatest managers. In his illustrious career, he has won three American League Pennants and two World Series Championships. His record prior to joining the Reds was 1,950-1,672.

Since joining the Reds, he is hovering right around .500 at 121-121. He was able to get this franchise back into the postseason last year and brought an excitement level that hasn't been seen for a Reds manager since Dusty Baker.

With all of the good that Francona has brought, he has brought a lot of frustration as well.

Elly De La Cruz is the best baseball player on this roster. There is no doubt about that. He is the fastest player on the team, and he has by far the most upside of any player that has played for this organization since future Hall of Fame first baseman Joey Votto.

May 26, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Elly De La Cruz (44) talks with manager Terry Francona (77) at the dugout against the Kansas City Royals prior to a game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

So why doesn't he bat leadoff? The game has evolved to the team's best hitters getting the most chances to swing a bat. Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, Fernando Tatis of the Padres, Ronald Acuna of the Braves, and so on, all bat lead off for their teams. They do this because batting leadoff gives them the best possible chance of receiving the most possible at-bats.

It took 81 games for Francona to finally give Elly the leadoff spot in 2026. That spot has been occupied by TJ Friedl, Blake Dunn, Matt McLain, and what feels like everybody else on the roster. It shouldn't take a season and a half to give the best player on the team the most at-bats.

Elly De La Cruz stole 67 bases with David Bell as skipper in 2024. Since then, he has stolen 47 bases in a season and a half with Francona. Neutralizing your best player's best attribute seems like a questionable decision, especially given the Reds' constant struggle to score runs on a consistent basis.

This goes so far beyond Elly, however. Ke'Bryan Hayes was constantly given at-bats this season in crucial situations, knowing that he can't swing a bat. Matt McLain still consistently sees at-bats, given how much he has struggled this season. The situational awareness of the Reds manager is constantly questioned by the fan base and the media.

Relievers who have proved themselves to be unworthy to come in game-saving opportunities continue to get opportunities. Tony Santilla, prior to his IL stint, struggled mightily in the late innings of games, but Francona continued to power through and let him try to close games. It didn't work.

Saying all of this, it is important to note that the number one issue of the 2026 Reds is not Terry Francona. The same way that the number one issue of the 2024 Reds was not David Bell.

New Cincinnat Reds manager Terry Francona holds his new jersey on stage with (left to right) team owner Bob Castellini, President of Baseball Operation, Nick Krall, and General Manager Brad Meador, 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

No, that honor belongs to Nick Krall. The President of Baseball Operations for the Cincinnati Reds, who famously said that he would "avoid peaks and valleys," has certainly lived up to his promise. His franchise consistently does just enough to avoid experiencing any peaks and mostly avoids the depths of a valley.

Francona is a symptom of Nick Krall's ineptitude. You can't fix a roster full of holes with one piece of Terry Francona scotch tape.

Francona's managerial style has worked with clubs without large payrolls. He won an AL Pennant with Cleveland. So why doesn't it work now?

Maybe you say it has worked. He did make the postseason last year, albeit an underwhelming 83-79 record. The players appear to like having him here. It just hasn't worked the way this franchise hoped it would. The Reds are 39-42 and are in last place in the National League Central. A steep falloff from last year. He still has one more year left on his contract, plus a club option for 2028.

Could he make it through next year? Absolutely... but that says more about Nick Krall and the Cincinnati Reds than it does about Terry Francona.

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