Francona enters clinic, misses game
Indians manager Terry Francona was admitted to Cleveland Clinic for tests and missed Tuesday night’s game against the San Diego Padres.
Francona, 58, was hospitalized twice last month after becoming lightheaded and having a rapid heart rate. He was fitted with a heart monitor last week and said at the time doctors had ruled out any serious health issues.
“As I’ve continued to tell Tito, the most important thing is his health and that we focus mostly on that,” team president Chris Antonetti said before the matchup with the Padres. “If that means he has to spend a day or two away from the ballpark, then that’s what he needs to do.”
Antonetti didn’t know if he would spend the night at the hospital or when he would resume his managerial duties. Antonetti said Francona did not experience the previous symptoms again and the tests are being done to help determine what’s causing the issue.
“The expectation is that he would have some additional tests once they started to narrow the area of focus,” Antonetti said. “That’s what he’s doing now, is getting those additional tests.”
Antonetti said Francona was at Progressive Field on Tuesday. He went through his pregame routine and swam in the indoor pool before going to the hospital.
Asked if Francona will manage the American League in the All-star Game in Miami on July 11, Antonetti said: “At this point, I don’t have a reason to think otherwise. But again, we’ll continue to allow the great doctors that are caring for him to guide that process.”
The Indians play three games against San Diego and host
Detroit for three games before the break.
Francona was hospitalized following a June 13 game and returned the following night. He was admitted again during a June 26 game and missed the following night’s contest. Last August, he missed a game after experiencing chest pains but was back the next day.
Bench coach Brad Mills will run the Indians in Francona’s absence.
■ Blue Jays: Marcus Stroman has an idea who’s to blame for all the nagging blisters bothering pitchers lately. He’s pointing a finger at Major League Baseball.
“I feel like it’s an epidemic that’s happening across the big leagues now, a bunch of pitchers getting blisters, guys who have never had blisters before. So for MLB to turn their back to it, I think that’s kind of crazy,” the Toront righthander said. “I have no theory.
But obviously, I mean, it’s not a coincidence that it’s happening to so many guys all of a sudden. It’s not a coincidence.”
Asked if he was implying all the blisters have something to do with an altered baseball, he would only repeat: “It’s not a coincidence.”
A frustrated Stroman was removed from his start against the New York Yankees after 79 pitches Monday night because of a developing blister.
■ Yankees: New York second baseman Starling Castro may miss the All-star Game because of his strained right hamstring.
Castro went on the disabled list June 27, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Castro won’t start running hard until Thursday.
Players elected Castro to a reserve spot on the roster, his fourth All-star selection.
■ Braves: Atlanta slugger Freddie Freeman returned earlier than expected from a broken left wrist and was in the Braves’ lineup Tuesday.
His return is the latest stage in a surprising turnaround since he was hit by a pitch on May
17. He was told that he’d likely miss about 10 weeks but instead was sidelined just seven. He was reinstated from the DL after he met with team physician Gary Lourie a few hours before Atlanta played the Houston Astros.
■ Cubs: Chicago activated outfielder Jason Heyward from the 10-day DL.
Heyward cut his left hand sliding for a foul ball in right field at Pittsburgh on June 18. He was batting .258 with six home runs and 29 RBIS entering Tuesday’s game against Tampa Bay.
■ Dodgers: Los Angeles starter Hyun-jin Ryu has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left foot contusion.
The South Korean left-hander is 3-6 with one save and a 4.21 ERA this season.
A scan of Ryu’s foot on Monday was negative, but manager Dave Roberts said the pitcher is still sore.
The Associated Press