Terry Francona hospitalized overnight after feeling ill before Guardians-Royals game
Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona was hospitalized for testing "out of an abundance of caution" after he felt ill before Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals, the team announced.
Per the Guardians' website, medical personnel examined Francona at Kauffman Stadium prior to first pitch, and then he went to The University of Kansas Health Systems for further testing. The Guardians didn't clarify the nature of his illness or the testing. Bench coach DeMarlo Hale took Francona's place managing the team against the Royals.
Francona met with media and conducted his normal pregame routine prior to consulting with medical staff and making the decision to go to the hospital. His status and projected return to the dugout were not immediately clear, but the Guardians announced later in the evening that he would be hospitalized overnight.
Francona, 64, has dealt with multiple health issues in recent years. He underwent three surgeries in a week in 2020 to repair blood clots that had developed following treatment for gastrointestinal issues. The procedures left him in the intensive care unit for several days. Because of his health issues, Francona managed just 14 of Cleveland's 60 games during the pandemic-shortened season and missed the team's postseason wild-card series against the New York Yankees.
Francona then missed the second half of the 2021 season to undergo hip surgery and have a rod surgically placed in his left foot in a separate procedure. The prior offseason, he had surgery to address a staph infection in his left big toe that left him in a walking boot.
Francona has managed the Guardians for 11 years, a span that includes six playoff berths and a trip to the 2016 World Series. He previously spent four seasons managing the Philadelphia Phillies and eight seasons with the Boston Red Sox that included two World Series victories.
