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Terry Francona makes his managerial return to Progressive Field in Cleveland on Monday night when his Cincinnati Reds open a three-game series with the Guardians in the battle for the Ohio Cup.

Francona managed the Guardians for 11 seasons (2013-23) before stepping down for health reasons. He led Cleveland to four AL Central Division titles and an American League pennant in 2016, losing in seven games to the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. He stepped down after the 2023 season as the winningest manager in franchise history (921).

Now he returns as the manager of the in-state rival Reds and needing to win at least one game to capture the Ohio Cup after his new team swept a three-game series with the Guardians in May in Cincinnati. Francona said he decided to return to managing after a year off because “it just felt right.”

“I had 11 of the best years of my life there,” Francona said of Cleveland. “I love the people there. I’m here now and I’m supposed to be as good a manager as I can be. … But that doesn’t take away any of my feelings for the guys over there.”

Francona isn’t the only member of the Reds who has fond memories of Progressive Field.

Left-hander Wade Miley (0-0, 18.00 ERA), who will make his first start since undergoing elbow surgery in May of 2024, threw a no-hitter for Cincinnati against Francona’s Guardians on May 7, 2021.

It will be just Miley’s second appearance of the season. The 38-year-old signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with an additional $1.5 million in performance incentives on Wednesday when the Reds put ace Hunter Greene on the 15-day injured list with a groin strain. Miley pitched two innings of relief that night in a 9-1 loss to Milwaukee, allowing four runs, including a three-run homer to Isaac Collins, on six hits.

Miley is 3-4 with a 3.51 ERA in 51 1/3 innings over 10 career starts against the Guardians.

Cleveland, which snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Sunday afternoon, will start right-hander Luis Ortiz (3-6, 4.02) in the opener.

Ortiz is 1-1 with a 2.05 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Reds. He comes in off a sparkling 4-0 road win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday, allowing three hits (all singles) and three walks over 5 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out seven.

“(Pitching coach) Carl (Willis) and the pitching team have done a great job, but Louie has been putting in the work,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said afterward. “We talk about it all the time. Our guys are learning how to do this every five days. They’re learning how to build upon starts, and Louie has been one of our more consistent guys.

“We just continue to see growth and (him) making pitches when he needs to. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Ortiz picked up the loss in a 3-1 setback to the Reds in Cincinnati on May 18, allowing six hits, including a two-run home run to Will Benson, over five innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

–Field Level Media