CLEVELAND — Terry Francona stepped away from baseball, at least temporarily, on Tuesday, ending a 23-year managerial career that began in Philadelphia, peaked with two World Series titles in Boston and concluded with an 11-season stay in Cleveland.
Guardians president Chris Antonetti said the 64-year-old Francona would have a role with the team moving forward but did not specify what it would entail.
“I need to go home and get healthy and see what I miss about the game,” Francona said. “I don’t foresee managing again.”
Slowed by serious medical issues in recent years, Francona intends to spend more time playing with his grandkids, getting healthy (shoulder replacement surgery is scheduled for next week) and enjoying an extended offseason after a 40-plus-years grind.
He’d been reluctant to say he’ll retire, leaving open the possibility of a return.
“I came here for the right reasons,” he said. “I’m leaving for the right reasons and what was in between was really good.”
A beloved baseball lifer, Francona, who was an outfielder for 10 seasons in the major leagues before injuries forced him to retire as a player, made a lasting imprint on the game for over four decades.
Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona looks on before the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers , Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Paul Sancya
Known to everyone as “Tito,” his father’s name, Francona led with charm, humor and an uncanny ability to connect with people.
“There is no one like him,” said Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who played for Francona in Boston. “There’s one Tito. I just wish I had more time with him.”
In typical fashion, Francona had asked the Guardians not to make a big deal about his possible retirement over the final month of the season to keep the focus on his young team, which was unable to overcome a slew of injuries in 2023 and defend its AL Central title.
Cleveland finished 76-86 — just the club’s…
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