CLEVELAND — Terry Francona will not manage the Indians during their next two games, although he has about as good a reason as any for not being there.
The 62-year-old Francona will be in Newport, Rhode Island, Saturday and Sunday to attend his youngest daughter Jamie's wedding. The skipper confirmed the news to reporters prior to Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
"I'm wearing a tux," he laughed. "I got a brand new bout[onniere] and everything for the wedding."
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DeMarlo Hale, in his first year as the Tribe's bench coach, will serve as acting manager for both contests. It's presumably his first Major League action in that capacity, although he did win 634 games in nine seasons leading minor league teams and was named Minor League Manager of the Year by multiple publications in 1999.
"Be gentle with DeMarlo," Francona joked, while noting he expects to be back before Cleveland's doubleheader Monday against the Chicago White Sox.
This is not the first time Francona has had to miss action during his nine years leading the Indians: In 2017, he missed multiple games (including the 2017 All-Star Game) after undergoing heart surgery, with then-bench coach Brad Mills filling in. More notably, he missed most of last year's COVID-shortened season and both of the club's postseason games due to blood clotting issues, and first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. took over as acting skipper (Mills, now retired, had opted out to spend time with his family). In both instances, Francona was still credited with the wins and losses accrued during his absences.
Thankfully, it will be a much happier occasion that keeps Tito away from the bench this time, although if he was hoping to escape the cold and wet weather of Northeast Ohio, he may have to think again.
"It's terrible," he said of the forecast in New England. "It's supposed to be awful."
The first game without Francona was supposed to take place Saturday afternoon, but now both matchups will be part of a Sunday doubleheader after the first was called due to weather.
