Spring training is underway in Goodyear, Arizona, and Terry Francona is already making one thing clear: 2026 is not about him.
After guiding the Cincinnati Reds to an 83-79 finish last season and their first playoff appearance since 2020, Francona is focused on something bigger than personal milestones.
"Truth be told, I don't care about my legacy," Francona said recently to WLWT. "It can't ever be about me. It's gotta be about the players, and if we can set it up where they're enjoying doing the right thing, then we're in a good place."
That mindset has defined his first year in Cincinnati, and it is one of the main reasons the Reds believe they are ready to take the next step.
From Wild Card to Contender?
When Francona came out of retirement to take over the Reds ahead of the 2025 season, expectations were cautiously optimistic.
The roster was full of young talent, but youth and promise don't always translate to wins.
Francona helped change that, guiding the Reds to an 83-79 record and a Wild Card berth before they ran into the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I'm excited about everybody, but to your point, I think Matt McLain is way better than he showed last year. . . We need him to be an impact player and I think he will be."@Reds coach Terry Francona names a few players he's anticipating to have a great season. pic.twitter.com/OXPnYf4gKL
— 97.1 The Fan (@971thefan) February 22, 2026
Now, with a full year under his belt and the team adding power hitter Eugenio Suárez on a one-year, $15 million deal, the Reds are coming into 2026 with a sense of unfinished business.
Suárez, who hit 49 home runs between Arizona and Seattle last season, is expected to protect Elly De La Cruz in the lineup and give Cincinnati the middle-of-the-order bat it has been missing since his original departure after 2021.
De La Cruz is also fully healthy after a late-season quad injury, with Francona confirming the shortstop tested well heading into camp.
Putting Players First
What stands out about Francona is not just his résumé, which includes two World Series titles in Boston.
It is the way he talks about his job.
For him, it has always been about building an environment where players want to compete and do things the right way, and that approach is the defining challenge with this young Reds group.
A year after guiding the Cincinnati Reds back to Major League Baseball’s postseason for the first time since 2020, manager Terry Francona is hungry for more.https://t.co/hJI5Csx24bpic.twitter.com/DON6Gqqgtz
— WLWT (@WLWT) February 17, 2026
Francona has handled it by keeping things simple, trusting the process, and staying out of the way.
He is also quietly closing in on historic territory.
Currently sitting at 2,033 career wins, Francona needs just 92 victories to crack the top 10 in all-time managerial wins.
But as he said himself, that is not what drives him.
What to Watch in 2026
The Reds are counting on a deep rotation led by Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and Brady Singer, along with top prospect Sal Stewart, who could make his MLB debut this season.
"We can't get those guys in our market, so for us to trade him, somebody better give us their whole team."
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) December 8, 2025
Terry Francona says the Hunter Greene trade rumors shouldn't have gotten legs. pic.twitter.com/cwtyzvjJa8
Francona has already addressed the new Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System rolling out league-wide in 2026, keeping his approach consistent by letting the players learn by doing and be better for it when it counts.
He is not managing for a plaque in Cooperstown.
He is managing for a banner in Cincinnati, and with the pieces now in place, the Reds believe this could be the year everything comes together.