On Friday, the Cleveland Guardians celebrated their 2016 American League pennant and their trip to the World Series with a heartfelt reunion. Corey Kluber, Yan Gomes, Jason Kipnis, and other former members of that squad were present at Progressive Field for the pregame gathering.
Of course, Guardians star Jose Ramirez was there, as a former player of that 2016 team and a current member of the 2026 roster. And, in the opposition’s dugout, there was Terry Francona.
An absolute legend in Cleveland, Francona, the current manager of the Cincinnati Reds (Friday’s foe), was at the helm for the Guardians in that historic 2016 campaign. It didn’t yield a World Series title, but it marked the first time since 1997 that the organization went to the Fall Classic.
Francona was there to witness Ramirez’s rise to stardom. He was there when he took his first few steps in the majors in 2013, and was also there in some of his best years before leaving the organization.
On Friday, he had some words to share about the current Guardians’ franchise player.
“This guy turned himself into one of the best players in the game,” Francona said, per Mason Horodyski of News 5 Cleveland.
"This guys turned himself into one of the best players in the game"#Reds and former #Guardians manager Terry Francona looks back at the growth of José Ramírez throughout his career, with a great antidote from his debut.#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/0ADewiMHz6
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) May 15, 2026
The skipper also shared a fun anecdote involving a very young Ramirez. You can tell Francona respects and admires the third baseman.
Francona’s arrival in 2013 coincided with the franchise’s renaissance, as Cleveland became a force in the American League after he came to town. He was there to witness the birth of two new stars, Francisco Lindor and Ramirez, and the passing of the baton to the latter when the former was traded to New York.
Ramirez took over as Cleveland’s best player, and he and Francona helped take the Guardians to the postseason in 2022 for the first time in the post-Lindor era. They even won the Wild Card round before succumbing in the Division Series.
Francona left Cleveland after the 2023 campaign, but he will be forever remembered for aiding the franchise’s turnaround, for positively influencing Ramirez’s career, and for that unforgettable 2016 campaign.
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