Former $41 Million All-Star Makes Feelings Clear on Terry Francona

Former $41 Million All-Star Makes Feelings Clear on Terry Francona originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

As his big league career closed, Cincinnati Reds legend Sean Casey spent the 2008 season playing for Terry Francona on the Boston Red Sox.

Although Casey only spent roughly eight months with the Red Sox, that was more than enough time for him to see Francona's greatness up close. Young players like Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jon Lester all thrived under Francona, leading the '08 Red Sox—fresh off their second title in four years—to the ALCS yet again.

Nearly two decades later, Casey—a longtime MLB Network analyst with his own podcast—sees Francona's impact on another young star: third-year shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who recently earned his second straight All-Star selection.

"[P]laying for Tito, I think you could see his standards starting to go up for his play," Casey explained on "The Mayor's Office."

De La Cruz entered the All-Star Break batting .284 with 18 home runs, 63 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases in 31 tries. His .854 OPS makes him one of only 22 players leaguewide with an OPS over .850.

Perhaps partly because of Francona's mentorship, De La Cruz's plate discipline is much improved. He's cut his strikeout percentage down from 33.7% as a rookie to 24.3% this year, and the 6-foot-5 De La Cruz is reaching base at a career-best .359 clip.

"This guy towered over me, and he's big and he's so nice," Casey continued. "He's so stinking nice, and I think he's a leader in that clubhouse. Guys love him."

We've already seen the likes of Pedroia, Francisco Lindor, and José Ramírez embark on Hall of Fame-caliber paths under Francona. Could De La Cruz be next up?

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.