The Reds unveiled today the coaching group that will be led by new manager Terry Francona. Brad Mills, the bench coach, is a new hire who was not previously announced. Freddie Benavides, who was named Cincinnati’s bench coach for 2019, is now designated as bench coach/field coordinator.
Mills, 68 in January, is a familiar face for Cincinnati’s new manager. Francona managed Philadelphia from 1997 to 2000, Boston from 2004 to 2011, and Cleveland from 2013 to 2023. Mills was the Phillies’ first base coach during those years, and Francona spent the most of his time with the Red Sox on the bench. Mills went to manage the Astros from 2010 to 2012 before reuniting with Francona in Cleveland in 2013.
He began his Cleveland career as third base coach before moving to bench coach in 2014. He remained in that role through 2019, but sat out the 2020 season, which was played during the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Mills stepped away from the game due to the terrible drowning of his 18-month-old grandson. Mills was relocated to an unnamed non-coaching duty with Cleveland for the 2021 season, so this will be his first time back in the dugout in many years.
Francona stepped away from baseball in 2024 to focus on his health. He will return in 2025 to take over as manager of the Reds, and he has filled positions with some old acquaintances. Chris Valaika was the Cleveland Indians’ hitting coach from 2022 to 2024 before being transferred to Cincinnati this month. Mills will now be brought back into Francona’s squad, with Benavides remaining, but in a different capacity.
