There are compliments and then there are statements that echo through teams, and one current message easily falls into the latter. At the period of a candid segment on the Diggin’ Deep Show, a former star did not just tip his cap—he practically handed Terry Francona a crown. “He’s so genuine, like, he’s honest, he’s a baseball rat,” the guest said with admiration. “He wants people to do well… even the usher.” This kind of all-around respect does not happen by accident. It is earned in dugouts, late-night team talks, and gritty 162-game seasons.

The star delivering such powerful praise? World Series champion Mike Napoli. Mike’s admiration was not just feeling full; it was a message to the MLB, dropped right after sportscaster Kirk Herbstreit warned opponents related to a dangerous Reds under Francona’s watch. What really struck home was Mike Napoli’s insight into Tito’s capability to balance authority with camaraderie. “At the end of the day, you’re one of the boys,” Napoli said, “but also the guy that needs to keep some of these younger dudes in line.” As per the former Guardians star, just being around Tito “gets the best out of everyone,” and now, such leadership capabilities are flashing in the Reds.

This brings us to a very timely warning from Kirk Herbstreit, who, despite being best identified for college football analysis, could not stop when talking related to the Reds. His message? The rest of the league needs to pay attention—quickly. In a pointed X post, Herbstreit did not just compliment the roster; he laid it out: “These boys could be dangerous.” With Steer, McLain, and Lux coming alive and the pitching holding firm all season, Herbstreit thinks the Reds could sneak up and do real damage.

He is not wrong. The numbers back him up. Since June, the team’s ERA has dropped from 4.76 to 3.21 and its OPS has surged to .755. Terry Francona could not be shouting from the rooftops, however, make no mistake, Tito’s manual is being adopted letter. Napoli felt it, Herbstreit saw it, and now, the rest of the league is officially on alert.

However, while the Reds have certainly earned high praise for their resurgence, not everything has gone as per the script. In fact, the team’s latest outing served as a timely reminder that momentum can be fragile.

Bullpen meltdown undermines Francona’s progress amid costly collapse vs Padres

For all the excitement building around the Reds, Saturday’s loss to the Padres proved that they are still wrestling with inconsistency, specifically, in the later innings. Despite an elite, five-inning effort from Andrew Abbott, who limited the damage to just one run, things started to unravel quickly once the bullpen got engaged. Scott Barlow, who has been trusted in vital positions, surrendered a two-run blast in the sixth that cracked the door open. Then came Lyon Richardson, and with this star, a hanging pitch that Gavin Sheets crushed for a go-ahead three-run homer.

Tito did not sugarcoat things after the game. “Sometimes when you get to everyone before you want to…” he said and referred to Abbott being pulled early after the Padres made the start in the fourth and fifth. The manager, focusing on Abbott’s shorter outing, threw off the bullpen sequence. Barlow fell behind in counts. Richardson left one over the plate, and in this way, a 4-1 lead became a 6-4 gut punch. These are the types of breakdowns Tito has tried to delete; however, they are clearly still lurking in plain sight.

Terry Francona’s effect on the Reds is impossible to ignore—some are praising it and some are warning others to pay attention. However, as Saturday’s loss to the Padres reminded all, the Reds’ story is still being written, one inning at a time.

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