CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona insists it’s one of his least favorite things to do to a position player.
But, running an outfielder or an infielder out to the mound for an inning or two of relief work in a game where the score has gotten out of hand is more common that you’d think.
In fact, Francona’s done it six times in the last five years. That’s more than the Indians had done it in the previous 17 years before he arrived (4 times).
Here’s an abbreviated history of Cleveland Indians position players taking the mound in relief (from 1995-2017).