Terry Francona DESERVES Credit for Cincinnati Reds 2025 Playoff Appearance

Terry Francona’s urgent approach lifts the Cincinnati Reds to a surprise playoff berth, sparking debate on his impact and deserved recognition. Can Francona’s management style overcome this roster’s glaring weaknesses, and does he deserve more credit for the Reds’ September turnaround? The Reds team MVP debate heats up as Elly De La Cruz, Tony Santillan, and Andrew Abbott vie for top honors, but do any truly stand out? Steve and Jeff break down the meaning behind the Manager of the Year award, comparing Francona’s second-place finish to Pat Murphy and revealing what it takes to earn postseason accolades. Key topics include Reds’ 40-man roster decisions, Edwin Arroyo and Hector Rodriguez’s prospects, and whether Rule 5 risks threaten Cincinnati’s future prospects. And Alfredo Duno went off in Arizona! Get expert insights and spirited analysis on the Reds’ strategy for 2026 and beyond. Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-reds/ https://www.youtube.com/@LockedOnReds?sub_confirmation=1 Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnMLB BOOKMARK Sports Illustrated’s Cincinnati Reds site, Inside the Reds! https://www.si.com/mlb/reds/ Also follow @jefffcarr and @soffenbaker on Twitter JOIN THE DISCORD SERVER: https://discord.gg/STMcRDyMCt KYLE SCHWARBER EVENT IN MIDDLETOWN: https://cityofmiddletown.org/724/Beyond-the-Field-with-Kyle-Schwarber For your next listen, check out the Locked On MLB podcast. Get Sully’s take on MLB! He has it all covered every single day. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day. 0:00 – Terry Francona’s Impact 8:09 – Reds Team MVP Debate 12:01 - Manager of the Year Award Voting 21:26 – Reds Likely to Protect Two Prospects Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! PrizePicks Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONMLB to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.PrizePicks — Run Your Game.Click Link Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONMLB Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) #Reds #CincinnatiReds #MLB Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.