The sense of optimism surrounding the Cincinnati Reds entering the 2025 MLB season—sparked by the hiring of new manager Terry Francona—has begun to wane after a tough start. As of April 9, the Reds find themselves with a 5-7 record, having dropped 3 of 4 games to their division rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers, and narrowly securing two shutout wins against the San Francisco Giants. It’s been a rough beginning to the year, but manager Francona remains confident that brighter days are ahead.
In a statement aimed at reassuring the fanbase, Francona emphasized, “While things haven’t gone as planned, we don’t need to look far for hope. We’ve got a clear path forward. We’ve seen teams—like the Mets last season—who started slow but turned it around in dramatic fashion. There’s no reason we can’t do the same.”
While the Reds’ current record isn’t ideal, Francona pointed out that things could be worse. Despite one of the worst starts in franchise history, it’s unlikely the Reds will come close to matching previous historic lows. But more importantly, there’s potential for improvement. Francona encouraged the team to look to the New York Mets’ 2024 turnaround as a model for bouncing back from a slow start. Last season, the Mets were 17.5 games out of first place by mid-June but managed to finish strong, going 61-36 for the rest of the year.
Francona believes the Reds can follow a similar blueprint by focusing on winning close games, shaking up the roster when needed, and building confidence. Like the Mets’ decision to send struggling players like Brett Baty to the minors, the Reds may need to make difficult roster moves, including considering options for Jake Fraley. The team must also improve their performance in one-run games, as the Mets went 8-1 in those matchups between June and July last year—something the Reds have struggled with so far this season.
But perhaps most importantly, Francona stressed that the Reds need to find their team identity—something the Mets built with their unique blend of swagger, player-driven moments, and chemistry. “We need to embrace that kind of confidence and energy,” Francona said. “If we can channel that, we’ll be in a great position to make a comeback and show everyone what we’re really made of.”
With Francona’s leadership and the example set by the Mets’ 2024 season, Reds fans can rest assured that, although the start has been tough, the best is yet to come.
