Aberdeen, South Dakota, Terry Francona and Collin Cowgill were ejected as the Reds fumed over a game-changing replay decision.
Terry “Tito” Francona stands as one of baseball’s most accomplished managers, bringing decades of experience and success to the Cincinnati Reds dugout.
Born in 1959, Francona first made his mark as a player, spending eight seasons in Major League Baseball with teams including the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians.
While his playing career was respectable, Francona’s true baseball legacy emerged when he moved to the dugout as a manager.
Francona’s managerial brilliance first captured national attention during his tenure with the Boston Red Sox (2004-2011), where he ended the franchise’s 86-year championship drought by winning the 2004 World Series.
He added another title in 2007, cementing his status as a Red Sox legend.
After Boston, Francona took the helm of the Cleveland Indians (later Guardians) in 2013, guiding them to an American League pennant in 2016 and showcasing an AL-record 22-game winning streak in 2017.
After Boston, Francona took the helm of the Cleveland Indians in 2013, guiding them to an American League pennant in 2016 and
By the time he stepped down from Cleveland after the 2023 season, Francona had become the franchise’s all-time winningest manager and collected three American League Manager of the Year awards.
In October 2024, the Cincinnati Reds hired Francona, adding his championship pedigree to a team looking to compete in the challenging NL Central.
Reds Fume As Terry Francona Ejected In Extra Innings
In a tense extra-inning battle against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night, Francona’s characteristic passion for protecting his players put him squarely in the spotlight.
The incident occurred in the 11th inning with the game hanging in the balance when Reds designated hitter Blake Dunn attempted to steal second base and was called out.
Believing Dunn was safe—or at minimum, that Braves infielder Ozzie Albies was illegally blocking the bag with his knee—the Reds challenged the call.
Despite video evidence suggesting Albies’ knee overlapped the base, potentially preventing Dunn from maintaining contact with the bag, replay officials upheld the original call.
The decision ignited the Reds’ dugout. First base coach Collin Cowgill immediately voiced his displeasure and was ejected.
Terry Francona was ejected after this out call stood after review pic.twitter.com/ncADDQaPDp
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 9, 2025
When Francona emerged to demand an explanation, the situation escalated quickly. Francona later explained,
“I was talking to crew chief Alan Porter because the kid who made the call walked away from me. I said I deserved an explanation. He said I’ll have to throw you out. I said go ahead.”
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What followed was a moment of confusion that perfectly captured the chaos of the situation.
After being ejected, Francona initially returned to the dugout, unaware he had been tossed from the game. Francona recounted,
“When I went out there, I never saw him toss me. I went back to the dugout. I actually saw the home plate umpire, I thought he went down to ask him that and I saw him shake his head. I didn’t know.”
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The umpire eventually had to approach the Reds’ dugout specifically to inform Francona he needed to leave the field.
Francona remained adamant about the call after the game, stating bluntly:
“He had his knee in front of the base. There’s no way Dunn can stay on the base.”
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The controversial call proved pivotal as the Reds lost their final offensive opportunity of the game.
Just moments later, the Braves capitalized with Drake Baldwin delivering a walk-off single that scored Albies, handing Cincinnati a bitter 11-inning defeat and dropping them just below .500 with a 19-20 record.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Francona was nicknamed “Tito,” the same nickname as his father, who also played in MLB from 1956 to 1970.
- He won the Golden Spikes Award in 1980 while playing college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats, where he also won the College World Series that same year.
- Francona once made an appearance as a pitcher with the Milwaukee Brewers on May 15, 1989, throwing 12 pitches and striking out one batter on three pitches.-
