In a move that has left Cincinnati Reds fans divided, manager Tito Francona made the surprising decision to trust Ian Gibaut to close out the game—a call that has sparked heated debate across the baseball world.
For years, fans criticized former manager David Bell for relying too heavily on analytics and matchups rather than sticking with the hot hand. But now, those same fans are in an uproar after Tito did exactly that—rolling with Gibaut, who had arguably the best spring among Reds relievers.
With the second-lowest ERA (trailing only Emilio Pagán) and the most appearances in Spring Training, Gibaut had made a strong case for himself. Yet, many question whether he was the right choice in a high-pressure moment.
Did Tito make the right call? Or was this a gamble that could come back to haunt the Reds? Stay tuned as the controversy unfol