Terry Francona May Have a Chance to Steal From His Former Team's Coaching Staff

What else can be said about the 2026 Cincinnati Reds? A team that was supposedly destined for greatness ended up at home during the postseason.

Sadly, the Reds did not make the leap to contender in 2026, which means some major changes must take place before the team takes the field again. One major change that has already been announced is that Reds' pitching coach, Derek Johnson, will not return in 2027.

Johnson took a personal leave of absence from the team back in June, which has been a concern among the fan base as to why. Now, it's on to the future, and the future could include a member of Francona's coaching staff when he was with the Cleveland Guardians.

Is There A Chance?

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer recently spoke with Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis, and during the conversation, Willis explained what could possibly lead him to come to Cincinnati to join the Reds.

"I can truthfully tell you: I'm not saying I would even consider it," Willis explained. "But if I were to, (Francona) would be the reason."

Hard not to be excited about the possibility of Willis joining the staff, even if it's just a dream at this point.

The Guardians made it all the way to the American League Championship Series and had some strong pitching all season long.

The Guardians had the eighth-best ERA during the 2026 season at 3.77. Your beloved Reds were a little higher than that, with the 28th-best ERA in the league at 4.83.

Willis, now 65 years old, has to take a lot into account if he is seriously thinking about joining Francona's staff. For one, leaving a team that was one series win away from the World Series to join a rebuilding franchise sounds exhausting.

Sure, the Reds have a great talent like Chase Burns who will lead the pitching staff moving forward. However, this unit has to look a lot different going into 2027.

Rejoining an old friend to help coach one of the best young arms in the game might sound intriguing. One thing is for certain: the Reds have to hit on a lot of moves this offseason, and it starts with the coaching.

What do Reds fans feel about these comments? Could it actually happen? If it were to happen, is this the right move? 2027 is a pivotal year for everyone in Cincinnati.