CLEVELAND — Indians pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Goodyear, Arizona in less than a week, and while the club will look a lot different on the field and welcome several new faces, one constant remains: manager Terry Francona.
The 61-year-old is entering his ninth season as the club's skipper and before the 2021 campaign gets started with spring camp, "Tito" joined me to discuss the upcoming season and this past offseason, as well as the American League's Central division.
The Tribe, which finished the COVID-shortened 2020 season with a 35-25 record before being eliminated by the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series, brings back some familiar faces in 2021 like MVP runner-up Jose Ramirez, Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, and Gold Glove second baseman Cesar Hernandez. However, they are also waving goodbye to superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor, along with longtime franchise stalwarts Carlos Carrasco and Carlos Santana.
Francona spoke with me about the trade of Lindor, the re-signing of Hernandez, the acquisition of free agent outfielder Eddie Rosario, and much more. He also addressed his health, which caused him to miss most of the 2020 season.
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 17 for the Tribe, and the team opens the 2021 regular season on April 1 in Detroit against the Tigers. The home opener at Progressive Field is slated for Monday, April 5 against the Kansas City Royals.
You can watch the full interview in the player above. For more coverage on the Tribe, listen to the latest edition of the "Locked On Indians" podcast: