CLEVELAND, Ohio - After a decade-plus at the helm of Cleveland's professional baseball franchise, Terry Francona may be heading toward the end of his managerial tenure.
In a Tuesday press conference prior to the Guardians' series opener with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Francona told reporters that he has been in serious conversations with the front office about his future.
"I've talked to Chris [Antonetti] and Mike [Chernoff] at length about the future and everything because I don't want to put them in any remotely kind of predicament," said Francona. "So, we've had a lot of talks about moving forward."
'Tito' is in his 11th season as Cleveland's skipper, and 23rd overall as a major league manager.
"I think I felt my whole career...the players always have to come first," Francona added. "I remember being in Birmingham and South Bend, thinking the players come first, and the organization and my situation would always take care of itself. I think to deviate from that now, is wrong. So, I think there's a time - and there will be a time to answer any question there might be [about] what I'm going to do, or not do. I don't think that's not because I don't ever want this. It can't be on me. I just can't let it."
Francona also cited his own health concerns that could play in a decision involving his managerial future. The 64-year-old stepped down halfway through the 2021 season for multiple surgeries, including a hip replacement and the repair of a staph infection in his left foot.
I’m talking about my own injuries,” said Francona. "I know what my job is. Just trying to do it, sometimes, becomes a little bit harder, or, if you get short of patience at times...Well, that’s on me."
Francona also added: “The other part is, I don’t want to lie. We’ve all seen coaches, I’m probably talking about college coaches, but they’re going somewhere and somebody asks them a question point blank and they go, no. And then an hour later, they got a six-year deal. I don’t want to ever be like that.
“I just telling you that we’re getting there, and there’s just a time, I think, to do it appropriately.”
Since his hiring by Cleveland in 2013, Francona has been one of the league's most consistently successful managers. The Guardians have reached the postseason six times under Francona's reign while capturing four AL Central championships and the 2016 AL pennant that gave Cleveland its first World Series appearance since 1997.
The Guardians have struggled to a 59-66 record entering Tuesday, including a 14-21 mark since the All-Star break. Cleveland is currently in second place in the AL Central - six games being the Minnesota Twins.
