CLEVELAND — It's the worst-kept secret in baseball.
The Terry Francona era appears to be coming to an end next Sunday in Detroit. It's unofficially official. It is perhaps not quite written in Sharpie yet, but it's also certainly more than just penciled-in as his swan song.
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Francona hasn't wanted to officially say that this is it , that his 11-year run at the helm of the Guardians is done. He doesn't want to make it about him, which has always gone against everything he stands for, and he has felt that officially announcing his retirement before the end of the season might draw attention away from the players.
But it has become increasingly clear that Wednesday night's game against the Cincinnati Reds will be Francona's last at Progressive Field. And the Guardians are already planning for the big day: The team will hand out "Thank You Tito" T-shirts to the first 20,000 fans at the ballpark.
It's a pretty clear sign that, yeah, this is it. In recent weeks, Francona has also at times used phrasing that strongly suggests the Guardians will have a new manager in 2024.
When discussing certain situations that the Guardians will have next spring (like a competition at shortstop), Francona has suggested that it won't be up to him, or that it won't be his call.
Earlier this month, he also told Sirius XM Radio, "It's time. My body is telling me that, my head is telling me that. … I've been pretty clear with the guys I work for and told them to start preparing, because it's time."
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And initially, Francona said he was "at peace" with elements of the situation.
Francona has been directly asked multiple times if this is it, and he simply hasn't wanted to make the announcement. It's about the players, and he intends to keep it that way until the season is over.
It still isn't official. But Wednesday's game is extremely likely to be Francona's last in the home dugout. To about a 99 percent degree, it'll be a Progressive Field farewell for the winningest manager in club history and the person who most shaped what Cleveland baseball has been about for the last decade-plus.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians to give away 'Thank You Tito' shirts for Francona
