Cleveland Guardians Manager Terry Francona discusses his decision to step away from baseball during a news conference on Tuesday in Cleveland. Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press
CLEVELAND — Terry Francona stepped away from baseball, at least temporarily, on Tuesday, ending a 23-year managerial career that began in Philadelphia, peaked with two World Series titles in Boston and concluded with an 11-season stay in Cleveland.
Guardians President Chris Antonetti said the 64-year-old Francona would have a role with the team moving forward but did not specify what it would entail.
“I need to go home and get healthy and see what I miss about the game,” Francona said. “I don’t foresee managing again.”
Slowed by serious medical issues in recent years, Francona intends to spend more time playing with his grandkids, getting healthy (shoulder replacement surgery is scheduled for next week) and enjoying an extended offseason after a 40-plus-years grind.
He’d been reluctant to say he’ll retire, leaving open the possibility of a return.
“I came here for the right reasons,” he said. “I’m leaving for the right reasons and what was in between was really good.”
A beloved baseball lifer, Francona, who was an outfielder for 10 seasons in the major leagues before injuries forced him to retire as a player, made a lasting imprint on the game for over four decades.
Known to everyone as “Tito,” his father’s name, Francona led with charm, humor and an uncanny ability to connect with people.
In typical fashion, Francona had asked the Guardians not to make a big deal about his possible retirement over the final month of the season to keep the focus on his young team, which was unable to overcome a slew of injuries in 2023 and defend its AL Central title.
Cleveland finished 76-86 — just the club’s second losing record since Francona took over as manager in 2013.
OBIT: Joe Christopher, an outfielder on the 1962 expansion New York Mets, died Tuesday in Edgewood, Maryland. He was 87.
The Mets said he died at his home, where he was receiving hospice care.
Christopher made his big league debut with Pittsburgh in 1958 and appeared in three games in the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees. He was hit by a pitch from Bob Turley in his only plate appearance and scored in Game 3, then pinch ran and scored in Game 5 and pinch ran again in Game 7.
He was selected by the Mets with their fifth pick in the 1962 expansion draft. He spent four seasons with New York, was traded to Boston and spent a final season with the Red Sox in 1966.
Christopher had a .260 career batting average with 29 homers and 173 RBI. His best season was with the 1964 Mets, when he hit .300 with 16 homers and 76 RBIs.
He is survived by five sisters: Kameahle Christopher, Cheryl Christopher, Joann Christopher, Michelle Christopher and Arinna Christopher.
Christopher’s death leaves 10 living members of the 1962 Mets, the team said: Craig Anderson, Galen Cisco, Cliff Cook, John DeMerit, Rick Herrscher, Jay Hook, Ed Kranepool, Ken MacKenzie, Felix Mantilla and Jim Marshall.
INJURIES: The Los Angeles Dodgers lost the most days of players on the injured list this season at 2,465, and the San Francisco Giants had the most placements at 46.
The number of days lost on the injured list rose 6.1% to 44,461 from 41,916, in the season that ended Sunday, but placements dropped 0.7% to 848 from 854.
There were 983 placements for 43,513 lost days in 2021, the first full season following a schedule curtailed to 60 games because of the pandemic.
The Dodgers had 33 placements, sixth behind the Giants, the Los Angeles Angels (42), Minnesota (39), and Cincinnati and the New York Yankees (38 each).
Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler was sidelined the entire season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and was among 12 Dodgers to finish on the 60-day IL, 10 of them pitchers.
The Los Angeles Angels were second in days lost with 2,346. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani went on the IL on Sept. 16 with a strained oblique injury and three-time AL MVP Mike Trout played one game after July 3 because of a broken left hamate bone. Ohtani had right elbow surgery on Sept. 19 and is not expected to pitch next season, though he anticipates being able to be a designated hitter.
The Yankees were third with 2,158 days lost, followed by Cincinnati (1,921), Colorado (1,840), Minnesota (1,804) and Boston (1,792).
Five teams lost fewer than 1,000 days: Cleveland (717), Houston (840), Toronto (863), Philadelphia (890) and Baltimore (913).
ROSTERS: Michael Lorenzen, Byron Buxton, Johnny Cueto and Jonathan Hernández were among the players left off rosters for Wild Card Series that started Tuesday, and the Texas Rangers made the surprise inclusion of former top draft pick Matt Bush.
Minnesota included Carlos Correa and rookie Royce Lewis along with right-hander Chris Paddack, who made a pair relief appearances last week in his return from Tommy John surgery. Correa hasn’t played since Sept. 18 because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot and Lewis has been sidelined since straining his left hamstring on Sept. 19.
Outfielder Jose Siri made Tampa Bay’s roster after missing the season’s final three weeks with a broken hand.
Milwaukee dropped first baseman Rowdy Tellez, who homered twice in the 2021 Division Series but slumped this season.
Toronto kept 14 position players and dropped catcher Danny Jansen, who broke his right middle finger on Sept. 1. Tyler Heineman is the backup to Alejandro Kirk. Rookie Cam Eden, who played in five games after a late-season call-up for his major league debut, is the fourth outfielder and a pinch-running option.
Hyun-Jin Ryu, who made his season debut on Aug. 1 after returning from Tommy John elbow surgery, was left off the roster with Kevin Gausman and José Berríos lined up for the first two games and either Chris Bassitt or Yusei Kikuchi available to start Game 3 if it’s necessary.
Top prospect Junior Caminero, a 20-year-old infielder who was called up in late September, was included for the best-of-three series against Texas after hitting .235 with one homer and seven RBI in seven games.
Outfielder Luke Raley was left off the roster. He has not played since Sept. 20 because of a cervical strain.
HONORS: Ronald Acuña Jr. was selected major league player of the year by Baseball Digest and eBay after hitting 41 home runs and stealing 73 bases for the Atlanta Braves.
The outfielder beat out two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, who didn’t play after Sept. 3 because of injuries.
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was chosen pitcher of the year and Baltimore Orioles closer Félix Bautista was the top reliever.
GIANTS: The San Francisco Giants hope to begin interviewing internal managerial candidates this week as they seek to replace Gabe Kapler, who was fired last Friday with three games left in a second straight losing season.
President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi said discussions are underway about who the club would like to speak with from inside the organization initially, probably a couple of people — and Zaidi is relying on input from retired catcher Buster Posey, who’s now part of the ownership group.
Zaidi also noted he hopes to begin reaching out to other franchises early next week to receive permission to interview people on those staffs.
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