Indians manager Francona to have toe surgery Tuesday

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This article was published 06/09/2021 (1508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona will undergo surgery on his left big toe on Tuesday at Cleveland Clinic.

The 62-year-old Francona stepped down for the season July 29 and had hip replacement surgery a few days later. He has been doing rehab work at Progressive Field and watched a few games at the ballpark with members of the front office.

Francona had surgery for a staph infection in his toe in February and wore a walking boot while managing this season. The rehab for Tuesday’s surgery is expected to take eight to 10 weeks.

Francona is in his ninth season with the Indians and has had a winning record each year. Cleveland advanced to the World Series in 2016 and has made the playoffs five times under Francona’s leadership. He’s five wins from tying Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau (728) for the most wins in team history.

Bench coach DeMarlo Hale is the interim manager. Cleveland is 68-66 and in second place in the AL Central.

Francona, a two-time World Series champion with Boston, managed only 14 games last season because of his health. He was in the Cleveland Clinic for weeks because of a serious gastrointestinal issue and was placed in intensive care after developing blood clots.

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