Terry Francona to miss MLB All-Star Game
By Ynal Al-Ouri
Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona will not be managing in the All-Star game, but is expected to rejoin the team after.
Terry Francona has been battling health issues the last few seasons, and he underwent a heart procedure on Thursday. The procedure will keep him out until at least after the All-Star break, which will prevent him from managing the American League All-Star team.
The hope is that the extended time off will allow the Indians skipper to properly heal from his illness, and potentially avoid any new ones from developing. Francona has battled serious illnesses in the past, as he has an unfortunate history of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms. Francona and his reigning American League champions stumbled out of the gate this season, but have regained their composure and currently lead the AL Central division by 1 game.
Francona was named the Indians manager after the 2012 season, and has helped them turn into a formidable ball club. Cleveland has made two playoff appearances since then, including making it to the World Series last season, when they ultimately fell to the Chicago Cubs in a dramatic game seven.
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The Indians seem to have a bit more competition in their division this season with a scorching hot Kansas City Royals team, and a surprisingly effective Minnesota Twins team chasing their tail. They still remain the favorites however, and have enough talent and depth on their roster to make another run at a World Series appearance.
If Francona returns after the break like he hopes to, he would be making his first appearance back with his club on July 14, when Cleveland opens up a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics. We wish Francona the absolute best in his recovery process, and hope he’s back managing his team soon enough.