March 22, 2026, 12:59 a.m. ET
GOODYEAR, AZ. − Mike Napoli can’t touch Terry Francona’s 2,000-plus managerial wins (yet), but he’s definitely getting closer if the experiences he’ll need to become a future manager count for anything.
Napoli, the second-year Cincinnati Reds coach who’s been vocal to colleagues about his desire to one day manage an MLB club, gained more valuable managerial experience March 21. On the night before the Reds break camp in Goodyear, Napoli presided over a walk-off grand slam 11-7 win against the Chicago White Sox at Goodyear Ballpark.
Francona was present, of course, although Napoli said he mostly stood behind him and swapped stories with other people. Francona managed most of the night but asked Napoli earlier in the day if he wanted to lead the team for the last three innings against the White Sox.
Napoli accepted, and the changeover was evident during a late-inning pitching change when Napoli emerged from the dugout while Francona stayed seated on his usual perch.
After the White Sox came from behind to tie the game, Napoli managed a textbook ninth inning to set his team up well prior to a P.J. Higgins grand slam.
Nathaniel Lowe led off with a single. Napoli pinch-ran for him. Then, Ruben Ibarra walked and Napoli pinch-ran for him, too. And both runners were sacrificed over by Esmith Pineda, whose bunt was well-executed.
A walk to Austin Hendrick resulted in the bases being loaded, and a Will Banfield strikeout brought the game to within an out of ending in a tie. But Higgins drove the second pitch he saw in a full count just beyond the wall in right field.
That was the ball game, and when reporters came down the warning track along the Reds’ dugout expecting to get a few quick thoughts from Francona via postgame interview scrum, Francona said, “Nap’s gonna do it.”
Napoli smiled and shook his head at Francona as he emerged from the dugout to handle a manager’s typical media obligations. Meanwhile, Francona was well on his way to the team bus waiting just beyond the right field wall.
“It was good, old baseball. Get the first two guys (on). Bunt them over,” Napoli said. “It’s fun. I want to manage one day so it’s nice to be out there… and making the calls. Watching the game, trying to stay ahead of the game. It was fun.”
This wasn’t Napoli’s first taste of Cactus League management. He said bench coach Freddie Benavides had allowed him to manage parts of prior games.
“It’s definitely fun and you’ve got to be paying attention at all times, playing the game in your head ahead of times,” Napoli said, “it was helpful.”
Andrew Abbott confident in Opening Day preparedness
The White Sox game marked the final start of spring training for Andrew Abbott. The next time you see him on the mound, it will be for his final warmup tosses prior to facing the Boston Red Sox on March 26.
Abbott tossed 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits. He was removed from a bases-loaded situation in the fourth inning and charged for runs that later scored. He reemerged for the fifth inning, allowing a lone run in that frame.
Abbott said he was “definitely ready” for Opening Day even though in-game results went against him for most of the spring.
“I think my pitches are behaving exactly how I want,” Abbott said. “Fastball was probably the best pitch tonight, which is also a really good thing… Overall, I think the work that I’ve put in, working on mechanics, working on the pitches, has done really well out here.
“For the results, not so much. But for the process and for the routine and for the mentality, yeah, for sure ready.”