Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Terry Francona

Discover the career path of Terry Francona, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Terry Francona, nicknamed "Tito," is a prominent American professional baseball manager currently managing the Cincinnati Reds. Before that, he managed the Cleveland Indians/Guardians, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies, achieving significant success, particularly with the Red Sox, where he broke their long World Series drought. Prior to his managerial career, Francona was an MLB player from 1981 to 1990, playing for several teams including the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, and Milwaukee Brewers. His extensive experience as both a player and manager has solidified his reputation in the baseball world.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1915: Bill "Rough" Carrigan

Francona is the only manager in Major League history to win his first eight consecutive World Series games and just the second manager to guide two Red Sox clubs to World Series titles, the other being Bill "Rough" Carrigan, who led Boston to back-to-back championships in 1915.

1916: Bill "Rough" Carrigan

1979: Represents US at Pan American Games

In 1979, Francona represented the United States at the Pan American Games.

1980: Drafted by Montreal Expos

In 1980, Francona was selected by the Montreal Expos in the first round of the MLB draft.

1980: College World Series Win and Golden Spikes Award

In 1980, Francona's team, the Arizona Wildcats, won the College World Series, and Francona was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He also won the 1980 Golden Spikes Award.

August 19, 1981: MLB Debut with Montreal Expos

On August 19, 1981, Francona made his major league debut with the Montreal Expos.

1984: Francona's Batting Average

In 1984, Francona achieved a .346 batting average in limited action for the Expos.

1985: Release from the Expos

Francona was released by the Montreal Expos after the 1985 season.

May 15, 1989: Pitching Appearance for Milwaukee

On May 15, 1989, Francona made an appearance as a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out Stan Javier.

1990: Final Season as Player

In 1990, Francona played his last season in MLB, appearing in three games for the Milwaukee Brewers.

1991: Manages Sarasota White Sox

In 1991, Francona managed the Sarasota White Sox of the Gulf Coast League.

1992: Manages South Bend White Sox

In 1992, Francona managed the South Bend White Sox of the Midwest League.

1993: Southern League Championship

In 1993, Francona managed the Birmingham Barons to the Southern League championship and was named Southern League Manager of the Year and Baseball America's Minor League Manager of the Year.

1993: Phillies Won NL Pennant

In 1993, the Phillies won the NL pennant.

1994: Top Candidate for Big Leagues

In 1994, Baseball America named Francona the top candidate to make the jump to the big leagues.

1995: Manages in Dominican Winter League

In 1995, Francona managed in the Dominican Winter League with the Águilas Cibaeñas.

1995: AL East Since 1995

In 2007, Boston winning the AL East for the first time since 1995.

1996: Hired as Phillies Manager

After the 1996 season, Francona was hired as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.

1996: Third-Base Coach for Detroit Tigers

In 1996, Francona became the third-base coach for the Detroit Tigers.

1998: Phillies Third Place Finish

In 1998, the Phillies finished in third place, behind the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.

1999: Phillies Third Place Finish

In 1999, the Phillies finished in third place, behind the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.

2000: Fired as Phillies Manager

After the 2000 season, Francona was fired as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.

2001: Special Assistant to Cleveland Indians GM

In 2001, Francona served as a special assistant to the general manager with the Cleveland Indians.

2002: Bench Coach for Texas Rangers

In 2002, Francona served as a bench coach for the Texas Rangers.

2003: Bench Coach for Oakland Athletics

In 2003, Francona served as a bench coach for the Oakland Athletics.

2003: Red Sox Lost ALCS

In 2003, the Red Sox lost the American League Championship Series, leading to a change in management.

2004: World Series Victory with Red Sox

In 2004, Francona led the Red Sox to a 98-64 record, won the AL Wild Card, and ultimately swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series, winning their first title since 1918.

2004: Hired to manage Red Sox

In 2004, Francona was hired as manager of the Red Sox.

2004: Hired by Red Sox and World Series Victory

In 2004, Francona was hired to manage the Boston Red Sox and led them to their first championship since 1918.

2006: Red Sox Miss Postseason

In 2006, The Red Sox stumbled in the second half of the season after many key players suffered extensive injuries. They finished third in the AL East at 86-76, missing the postseason for the first time since 2002.

2007: World Series Win with Red Sox

In 2007, Boston rebounded, winning the AL East. Francona led the Sox to sweep the Angels in the Division Series before dropping three of the first four games to the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS. The Sox, facing elimination, won their next three games, defeating Cleveland to advance to the 2007 World Series, where they swept the Colorado Rockies in four games.

2007: Second World Series win with Boston

In 2007, Francona managed the Red Sox to another World Series victory.

February 24, 2008: Contract Extension with Red Sox

On February 24, 2008, the Red Sox announced that they had extended Francona's contract, which was set to expire at the end of the 2008 season, extending it to the end of the 2011 season, with club options for 2012 and 2013.

October 1, 2008: Managerial Record

As of October 1, 2008, Francona's career regular-season managerial record was 755-703 (.518), while his post-season record was 22-9 (.710).

2008: ALCS Loss to Tampa Bay Rays

In 2008, the Red Sox finished with a 95-67 record. They defeated the Angels in the ALDS but lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS after a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.

June 2, 2009: 500th Win as Red Sox Manager

On June 2, 2009, Francona recorded his 500th win as manager of the Red Sox, becoming the third manager in club history to reach this milestone.

May 6, 2010: Managed 1,000 Games for Red Sox

On May 6, 2010, Francona became the fourth person to manage 1,000 games for the Red Sox.

July 23, 2011: 1,000th Win as a Manager

On July 23, 2011, Francona achieved his 1,000th win as a manager.

December 5, 2011: Francona Joins ESPN

On December 5, 2011, Terry Francona signed with ESPN, joining their Sunday Night Baseball telecast, replacing Bobby Valentine.

2011: End of Red Sox Management

At the end of the 2011 season, Francona's tenure as manager of the Boston Red Sox concluded.

2011: Contract set to expire

October 6, 2012: Hired as Cleveland Indians Manager

On October 6, 2012, Francona was hired as manager of the Cleveland Indians.

2012: Francona Works as Analyst for ESPN

During the 2012 season, Terry Francona worked as an analyst on Sunday Night Baseball, contributed to ESPN.com, and contributed to ESPN's Little League World Series coverage.

2012: Red Sox Decline Francona's Option

Following the 2011 season, the Red Sox declined to exercise Francona's 2012 option.

2012: Club options for 2012

November 12, 2013: Named American League Manager of the Year

On November 12, 2013, Terry Francona was named as the American League Manager of the Year.

2013: Becomes Cleveland Indians Manager

In 2013, Francona became the manager of the Cleveland Indians.

2013: Club options for 2013

November 4, 2014: Agreed to Two-Year Extension

On November 4, 2014, Terry Francona agreed to a two-year extension with the Cleveland Indians.

October 10, 2016: Indians Clinch ALCS Berth

On October 10, 2016, Terry Francona's team, the Indians, swept the Boston Red Sox in three games in the divisional series, clinching a berth in the ALCS with a win at Fenway Park.

October 19, 2016: Indians Advance to World Series

On October 19, 2016, Francona's Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays to move on to the World Series.

November 15, 2016: Francona Named American League Manager of the Year

On November 15, 2016, Terry Francona was named American League Manager of the Year for the second time in his career.

2016: Leads Indians to American League Pennant

In 2016, Francona led the Cleveland Indians to an American League pennant.

2017: Indians' 22-Game Win Streak

In 2017, Terry Francona managed the Indians through a successful season, marked by a 22-game win streak spanning from August 24 to September 15. During the 2017 season, Francona also underwent a cardiac ablation.

April 2019: Francona's Contract Extended

In April 2019, the Indians extended Terry Francona's contract for two more years.

2020: Francona's Gastrointestinal Issue

In the 2020 season, Terry Francona dealt with a gastrointestinal issue that led to him managing only 14 games. Sandy Alomar Jr. served as acting manager.

July 29, 2021: Francona Steps Aside Due to Health Issues

On July 29, 2021, Terry Francona announced that he would step aside from managing the team for the rest of the year, citing health issues. DeMarlo Hale took over as interim manager.

2021: Francona's All-Time Wins Record

In 2021, all the games that Terry Francona missed and were managed by Hale got credited to his record, making him the all-time Indians/Guardians leader in wins by a manager (with 753 coming into 2022).

2022: Francona Leads Guardians to Playoffs and Manager of the Year Award

In 2022, Terry Francona led the Guardians to their first playoff appearance since 2020 and their first AL Central title since 2018. He also won the 2022 American League Manager of the Year award.