Manager Terry Francona led the Cleveland Indians to the 2016 World Series, where they lost a dramatic Game 7 to the Chicago Cubs in extra innings, 8-7. The organization announced Friday it elected to exercise the 2019 and 2020 club options on his contract.
Francona—whom Bob Nightengale of USA Today called a future Hall of Famer—has been with the Indians since the start of the 2013 campaign and finished with a winning record in each of his first four years. He was the 2013 American League Manager of the Year with a 92-70 record and an AL Wild Card Game appearance the season after Cleveland finished 68-94.
Francona coached the Philadelphia Phillies from 1997-2000 and the Boston Red Sox from 2004-11. He won two World Series with Boston, including the franchise’s first since 1918 in 2004.
His winning ways in Cleveland are nothing new considering he also posted a winning record in every season with the Red Sox:
Francona’s managing abilities were on full display in this year’s postseason. The Indians reached the World Series despite missing Michael Brantley for the majority of their season. What’s more, starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar were each injured entering the playoffs and didn’t make a single start.
That left Francona scrambling with a three-man rotation in the World Series, and he had to manage through Trevor Bauer’s finger injury in the American League Championship Series.
He unleashed ace Corey Kluber and lockdown relievers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen throughout October and fell just one win short of a title.
He led the Indians through plenty of adversity in the playoffs and nearly beat a Cubs team that finished with an MLB-best 103 wins during the regular season. Cleveland fans are likely excited to see what he can do with a full deck in the coming years.
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