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Watch: Guardians Welcome Back Terry Francona With Heartfelt Tribute
Aug 24, 2023; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona walks out to relieve pitcher Tim Herrin (not pictured) during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Watch: Guardians Welcome Back Terry Francona With Heartfelt Tribute

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild  |  Last updated Jun 9, 2025 6:50 PM ET

A book about Cleveland Guardians baseball can't be written without including a full chapter dedicated to the legacy manager Terry Francona left on the organization.

Francona was Cleveland's manager from 2013-23, and as Monday marked the start of Cleveland's latest series against the Cincinnati Reds, it was also the first time in over 10 years that Francona returned to Progressive Field as the visiting team's manager.

The Guardians organization put together a touching tribute for Francona ahead of the first pitch.

Watch The Video Here:

Over Francona's 11 years as Cleveland's manager, his teams had a winning percentage of 54 percent, and his 921 wins remain the most in franchise history.

One of the most impressive parts of Francona's tenure is that the teams he managed finished with a record under .500 just twice, in '15 and '23. He was a model of consistency in the dugout and constantly had Cleveland in the postseason picture.

Tito's time as Cleveland's skipper came to an end following the 2023 season.

A few weeks ahead of the final game of the season, Francona hinted that he'd thought about life outside of baseball, specifically his health.

Even when Tito mentioned he was stepping down as skipper and would no longer be managing the Guardians, he never used the word "retired," leaving the door open for a return to the dugout.

That return came in the fall of 2024, as the Reds announced the future Hall of Famer as their next skipper, and now Francona sits in the opposite dugout of the Ohio Cup.

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This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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