Terry Francona Earns Historic 2,000th Win. Which Active MLB Manager Is Next?

Terry Francona Achieves Historic 2,000th Win in Major League Baseball

“The one thing you just die for is a chance to win … and to be expected to win is what you play for, what you coach for,” said Terry Francona, the current manager of the Cincinnati Reds, when he was hired by the Boston Red Sox in December 2003—at a time when he hadn’t yet enjoyed much success. Since then, Francona has built an impressive career in Major League Baseball (MLB). On Sunday, he added a remarkable milestone to his résumé by becoming the 13th manager in MLB history to reach 2,000 victories, guiding the Reds to a 4-2 win against the Colorado Rockies. With this achievement, he joins Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers as the only active managers to surpass 2,000 wins.

Out of the 12 other managers with 2,000 or more wins, ten are enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Bochy and Dusty Baker, with 2,183 wins and not yet eligible for induction, are the exceptions. Moreover, the 66-year-old Francona is the fourth manager to achieve his 2,000th win for one of the teams he played for, as he batted .227 in 102 games for the Reds in 1987.

With Sunday’s victory, Francona’s regular-season record stands at 2,000-1,719 over 24 seasons. He led the Red Sox to World Series championships in 2004 and 2007, and took the Cleveland Indians to the Fall Classic in 2016. Over the years, his teams have made it to the postseason 11 times.

Francona is currently 50-47 in his first season with Cincinnati, having signed a three-year contract with an option for 2028. To fully appreciate Francona’s achievement, it’s worth noting that although the first two managers to reach this milestone—John McGraw and Connie Mack—began their careers in 1899 and 1894, respectively, he is still just the 13th to reach this significant benchmark.

This raises the question of who might next be added to this prestigious list. Francona ranks second among active managers in total wins, trailing Bochy, who has 2,219. Bob Melvin, the manager of the San Francisco Giants and currently 63 years old, is 21st on the all-time list with 1,649 victories. It isn’t far-fetched to think that he could become the 14th manager to achieve 2,000 wins, unless he chooses to retire in the next few years.

Among those managing in 2025, Bud Black, former Rockies manager, is the nearest to Melvin but is now 68 years old with just 1,193 wins. jjiliko He also represents the end of the line for his generation of managers. If there’s another potential 2,000-win manager waiting in the wings beyond Melvin, they are likely not yet in their 60s.

A.J. Hinch, the 51-year-old manager of the Detroit Tigers, stands at 830 wins and is in his 12th year of managing. Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, 53, is also in his 12th year with 908 wins as of Sunday. Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash, at 47, is in his 11th year and has accumulated 869 victories. Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell, who is 54, has 847 wins through 11 seasons.

Managers beyond this point either haven’t been around long enough to accumulate significant wins, like Aaron Boone, or are nearing 60 years old, such as Torey Lovullo, suggesting they might not have the longevity needed to reach the milestone.

Hinch, while younger, has enjoyed considerable success since taking over the Houston Astros in 2015, leading the team to a World Series title in 2017 and posting three consecutive 100-win seasons jili ph. After serving a suspension related to a sign-stealing investigation, he joined the Tigers in 2021 and helped lead them to the postseason in 2024 for the first time since 2014. taya 888 casino login

Roberts, although two years older than Hinch and with fewer wins, is arguably in a better position given the Dodgers’ sustained success. At 53, with a wealth of resources and support from the organization, he could be the most viable candidate from his generation to reach 2,000 wins.

Kevin Cash, at 47, is the youngest among these managers and trails Roberts in wins, yet the Rays are stable and less likely to make abrupt managerial changes if successful. Cash took over after Joe Maddon left before the 2015 season and has averaged 82 wins per year from 2015-2024, boasting 50 wins already in 2025.

Counsell, the oldest of this group at 55, also started managing in 2015 but has only recorded one season below .500 since his first winning season in 2017. Although he faces challenges in establishing consistency with the Cubs, he remains a contender for 2,000 wins, albeit with less likelihood than the three managers ahead of him.

As for Francona, now that he has reached 2,000 wins, he has additional milestones in sight. He could move up from 13th to 12th place, passing Leo Durocher with just nine more wins, and 41 wins would take him past Walter Alston into 11th place. However, he is still 125 wins behind Joe McCarthy for 10th place overall, necessitating a longer commitment. To surpass Bucky Harris for ninth, he would need 159 additional wins, while 184 wins would push him past Baker into eighth place. Another 11 wins would move him ahead of Sparky Anderson, placing Francona seventh all-time.

Ultimately, how long Francona continues to manage and the performance of the Reds will significantly impact his total wins phdream login 333. Currently, the Reds are on track for 83 wins, suggesting he would need to average 76 wins over the next two seasons to surpass Anderson gcash login error. Beyond that point, Bochy remains an evolving target, and Joe Torre—who ranks fifth in all-time wins—is still a considerable distance away at 326 wins ahead of Francona.

However, given Francona’s track record of overcoming substantial challenges, could he add just one more notable achievement to his legacy?