Terry Francona Has His Work Cut Out for Him After Reds’ Defensive Regression

When Terry Francona took the Cincinnati Reds job in 2024, the future Hall of Fame manager arrived to install discipline and drag a talented roster out of its own way. Two years later, the reality looks rather different.

While the rival Milwaukee Brewers are busy playing deep into October and capturing the National League pennant, the Reds are left staring at a defensive chasm that has quietly become the organization’s most glaring blind spot.

The gap between the two National League Central rivals is difficult to overlook. Milwaukee finished seventh in the majors in fewest errors, while Cincinnati ranked 12 spots lower. The Brewers also held a .987 fielding percentage compared to the Reds’ .984, but the advanced metrics show a much wider separation.

Milwaukee finished tied for fourth in Defensive Runs Saved with 62. Cincinnati ranked 27th at minus-31. The Brewers also finished ahead of the Reds in Fielding Run Value, posting a plus-seven mark compared with Cincinnati’s minus-13.

For a manager whose approach has centered on fundamentals and playing clean baseball, those numbers raise a difficult question heading into the offseason: how much can Francona change when the roster itself continues to fall short?

Francona has been clear about what he expects from players in the field. In September, he explained to reporters that teams chasing offense have to be careful about sacrificing defense in the process.

“Unless you're an elite offensive player, you better be able to catch the ball,” Francona said in September, via Ricky Logan of Sports Illustrated. He added that poor defense can hurt a team when it is already trying to make up for shortcomings at the plate.

Cincinnati struggled on both sides of that equation in 2026. The Reds hit .229 as a team, the lowest average in the majors, and scored 666 runs, ranking 27th. Even with Elly De La Cruz recording his first 30-homer, 30-steal season and Sal Stewart driving in 112 runs, the lineup lacked consistent production beyond its top contributors.

The front office has acknowledged that roster construction needs to improve. President Nick Krall told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon that Cincinnati needed to do a better job filling out the bottom of the roster, including finding complementary hitters and players suited for platoon roles.

That same depth problem matters defensively. Francona can stress fundamentals, but the organization still has to give him players capable of executing them consistently.

After the season, Francona said he wanted his 2027 team to play with more toughness, particularly in difficult at-bats. The defensive numbers suggest the work ahead extends beyond the batter’s box.

The Reds have young talent to build around, but their division rivals have shown how costly the smaller mistakes can become over a full season. For Cincinnati, getting back into contention will require more than another offensive adjustment. The roster has to become a team Francona can trust to make the routine plays.