The 1997 Cleveland Indians season was the 97th season for the franchise and the 4th season at Jacobs Field. It involved the Indians making their second World Series appearance in three years, in which they'd lose to a National League East team again, this time to the wild card Florida Marlins in 7 games. The Indians finished in first place in the American League Central Division and hosted the 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Offseason November 13, 1996: Matt Williams was traded by the San Francisco Giants with a player to be named later to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later, Jeff Kent, Julián Tavárez, and José Vizcaíno. The Cleveland Indians sent Joe Roa (December 16, 1996) to the San Francisco Giants to complete the trade.Matt Williams Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 10, 1996: Eric Plunk was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. December 13, 1996: Kevin Mitchell signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.Kevin Mitchell Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 16, 1996: Trenidad Hubbard was sent by the San Francisco Giants to the Cleveland Indians to complete an earlier deal made on November 13, 1996. December 18, 1996: Chad Curtis was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. December 19, 1996: Les Norman was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.Les Norman Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 28, 1996: Tony Fernandez was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. January 1, 1997: Casey Candaele was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. January 31, 1997: Greg Cadaret was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
Regular season The season started with several new faces. The Indians acquired home run hitter Matt Williams. On March 25, 1997, the club traded All-Star Kenny Lofton and pitcher Alan Embree to the Atlanta Braves for Marquis Grissom and David Justice. June 16 – The first interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians took place at Jacobs Field. The rivalry would be known as the Battle of Ohio. The Reds won the game by a score of 4–1.
Most Starts by Position PositionName# of StartsC Sandy Alomar Jr.1191B Jim Thome1452B Tony Fernández1093B Matt Williams151SS Omar Vizquel152LF Brian Giles82CF Marquis Grissom144RF Manny Ramírez146DH David Justice61
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions April 21, 1997: Ryan Thompson signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.Ryan Thompson Statistics Baseball-Reference.com May 20, 1997: Torey Lovullo was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. June 3, 1997: Kevin Mitchell was released by the Cleveland Indians. June 5, 1997: Ryan Thompson was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jeff Manto. June 9, 1997: Dave Weathers was traded by the New York Yankees to the Cleveland Indians for Chad Curtis. July 3, 1997: Greg Cadaret was released by the Cleveland Indians. July 25, 1997: Pat Listach was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.Pat Listach Statistics Baseball-Reference.com July 31, 1997: John Smiley was traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Jeff Branson to the Cleveland Indians for Jim Crowell, Danny Graves, Damian Jackson, and Scott Winchester.John Smiley Statistics Baseball-Reference.com July 31, 1997: Jeff Juden was traded by the Montreal Expos to the Cleveland Indians for Steve Kline.Jeff Juden Statistics Baseball-Reference.com August 13, 1997: Julio Franco was released by the Cleveland Indians.Julio Franco Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
Roster 1997 Cleveland Indians Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches (Bench) (Bullpen) (Hitting) (First base) (Third base) (Pitching) (Bullpen catcher)
Game log
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 || April 2 || @ Athletics || 9–7 || Kline (1–0) || Wengert (0–1) || Shuey (1) || Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum || 41,235 || 1–0 || W1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 2 || April 3 || @ Athletics || 4–5 || Lewis (1–0) || Plunk (0–1) || Taylor (1) || Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum || 13,707 || 1–1 || L1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 3 || April 4 || @ Angels || 6–8 (11) || Holtz (1–0) || Shuey (0–1) || – || Anaheim Stadium || 17,758 || 1–2 || L2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 || April 5 || @ Angels || 7–5 || Ogea (1–0) || Hasegawa (0–1) || Shuey (2) || Anaheim Stadium || 23,913 || 2–2 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 || April 6 || @ Angels || 10–8 || Kline (2–0) || Percival (0–2) || Jackson (1) || Anaheim Stadium || 29,363 || 3–2 || W2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 || April 7 || @ Mariners || 8–3 || Nagy (1–0) || Sanders (0–2) || – || Kingdome || 22,012 || 4–2 || W3 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 7 || April 8 || @ Mariners || 8–14 || Hurtado (1–0) || Lopez (0–1) || – || Kingdome || 24,348 || 4–3 || L1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 8 || April 9 || @ Mariners || 1–11 || Wolcott (1–1) || Colon (0–1) || – || Kingdome || 28,302 || 4–4 || L2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 9 || April 11 || Angels || 15–3 || Ogea (2–0) || Gubicza (0–1) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,643 || 5–4 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbbbbb" | – || April 12 || Angels || colspan=8 | Postponed (rain, makeup July 28) |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 10 || April 13 || Angels || 3–8 || Langston (1–1) || McDowell (0–1) || – || Jacobs Field || 41,218 || 5–5 || L1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 11 || April 14 || Mariners || 1–6 || Martinez (1–0) || Nagy (1–1) || – || Jacobs Field || 41,184 || 5–6 || L2 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 12 || April 15 || Mariners || 4–8 || Wells (1–0) || Jackson (0–1) || Charlton (3) || Jacobs Field || 40,118 || 5–7 || L3 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 13 || April 16 || @ Red Sox || 6–11 || Avery (1–1) || Ogea (2–1) || – || Fenway Park || 21,305 || 5–8 || L4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 14 || April 17 || @ Red Sox || 4–3 || Kline (3–0) || Trlicek (2–3) || Mesa (1) || Fenway Park || 17,988 || 6–8 || W1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 15 || April 18 || Brewers || 2–10 || McDonald (2–1) || McDowell (0–2) || – || Jacobs Field || 40,343 || 6–9 || L1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 16 || April 19 || Brewers || 11–6 || Nagy (2–1) || Eldred (2–1) || – || Jacobs Field || 40,237 || 7–9 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 17 || April 20 || Brewers || 6–4 || Hershiser (1–0) || Wickman (2–1) || Mesa (2) || Jacobs Field || 42,285 || 8–9 || W2 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 18 || April 22 || Red Sox || 2–8 || Avery (2–1) || Ogea (2–2) || Henry (3) || Jacobs Field || 41,800 || 8–10 || L1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 19 || April 23 || Red Sox || 11–7 || McDowell (1–2) || Trlicek (2–4) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,430 || 9–10 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 20 || April 24 || @ Brewers || 6–3 || Nagy (3–1) || Eldred (2–2) || Mesa (3) || County Stadium || 7,135 || 10–10 || W2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 || April 25 || @ Brewers || 11–4 || Hershiser (2–0) || Karl (0–4) || – || County Stadium || 11,150 || 11–10 || W3 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 22 || April 26 || @ Brewers || 8–9 || Jones (1–0) || Mesa (0–1) || – || County Stadium || 13,028 || 11–11 || L1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 23 || April 27 || @ Brewers || 5–6 || Jones (2–0) || Plunk (0–2) || – || County Stadium || 19,709 || 11–12 || L2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 || April 29 || Athletics || 10–4 || Nagy (4–1) || Prieto (2–1) || Jackson (2) || Jacobs Field || 40,421 || 12–12 || W1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 25 || April 30 || Athletics || 9–11 (10) || Taylor (1–1) || Mesa (0–2) || Wengert (1) || Jacobs Field || 40,463 || 12–13 || L1
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 26 || May 1 || Athletics || 7–1 || McDowell (2–2) || Adams (1–3) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,398 || 13–13 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbbbbb" | – || May 2 || Tigers || colspan=8 | Postponed (rain, makeup August 13) |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 || May 3 || Tigers || 7–6 || Plunk (1–2) || Brocail (0–3) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,269 || 14–13 || W2 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 28 || May 4 || Tigers || 0–2 || Blair (3–2) || Nagy (4–2) || Brocail (1) || Jacobs Field || 42,387 || 14–14 || L1 |- bgcolor="#bbbbbb" | – || May 5 || Rangers || colspan=8 | Postponed (rain, makeup August 9) |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 29 || May 6 || Rangers || 5–4 || Hershiser (3–0) || Pavlik (2–3) || Jackson (3) || Jacobs Field || 40,451 || 15–14 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 || May 7 || Blue Jays || 7–1 || McDowell (3–2) || Person (0–2) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,463 || 16–14 || W2 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 31 || May 8 || Blue Jays || 3–4 || Guzman (3–2) || Ogea (2–3) || Quantrill (1) || Jacobs Field || 42,567 || 16–15 || L1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 32 || May 9 || @ Tigers || 5–0 || Nagy (5–2) || Sager (2–2) || – || Tiger Stadium || 20,393 || 17–15 || W1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 33 || May 10 || @ Tigers || 0–6 || Olivares (2–2) || Colon (0–2) || – || Tiger Stadium || 30,578 || 17–16 || L1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 34 || May 11 || @ Tigers || 3–11 || Thompson (3–2) || Hershiser (3–1) || – || Tiger Stadium || 19,869 || 17–17 || L2 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 35 || May 12 || @ Rangers || 2–4 || Burkett (2–2) || McDowell (3–3) || Wetteland (9) || The Ballpark in Arlington || 25,327 || 17–18 || L3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 36 || May 13 || @ Rangers || 7–3 || Ogea (3–3) || Oliver (1–4) || Morman (1) || The Ballpark in Arlington || 31,798 || 18–18 || W1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 37 || May 14 || @ Rangers || 3–4 (10) || Wetteland (2–0) || Lopez (0–2) || – || The Ballpark in Arlington || 30,268 || 18–19 || L1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 38 || May 16 || @ Blue Jays || 2–5 || Clemens (7–0) || Hershiser (3–2) || Timlin (5) || SkyDome || 35,195 || 18–20 || L2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 39 || May 17 || @ Blue Jays || 8–1 || Lopez (1–2) || Williams (1–3) || – || SkyDome || 36,220 || 19–20 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 40 || May 18 || @ Blue Jays || 8–6 || Ogea (4–3) || Carpenter (0–2) || Jackson (4) || SkyDome || 31,137 || 20–20 || W2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 41 || May 20 || Royals || 4–3 || Shuey (1–1) || Walker (2–2) || Jackson (5) || Jacobs Field || 43,167 || 21–20 || W3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 42 || May 21 || Royals || 1–0 || Hershiser (4–2) || Appier (4–3) || Jackson (6) || Jacobs Field || 42,290 || 22–20 || W4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 43 || May 22 || Royals || 9–1 || Lopez (2–2) || Rosado (3–3) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,962 || 23–20 || W5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 || May 23 || Orioles || 6–1 || Ogea (5–3) || Key (8–1) || – || Jacobs Field || 41,154 || 24–20 || W6 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 45 || May 24 || Orioles || 3–8 || Mussina (6–1) || Kline (3–1) || – || Jacobs Field || 41,040 || 24–21 || L1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 46 || May 25 || Orioles || 7–6 || Nagy (6–2) || Rhodes (2–2) || Morman (2) || Jacobs Field || 42,944 || 25–21 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 47 || May 26 || @ White Sox || 10–4 || Hershiser (5–2) || Navarro (4–3) || – || Comiskey Park || 26,383 || 26–21 || W2 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 48 || May 27 || @ White Sox || 2–8 || Drabek (4–3) || Lopez (2–3) || – || Comiskey Park || 20,847 || 26–22 || L1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 || May 28 || @ Royals || 10–3 || Assenmacher (1–0) || Belcher (5–6) || – || Kauffman Stadium || 13,380 || 27–22 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbbbbb" | – || May 29 || @ Royals || colspan=8 | Postponed (rain, makeup September 19) |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 50 || May 30 || @ Orioles || 0–3 || Mussina (7–1) || Nagy (6–3) || – || Oriole Park at Camden Yards || 47,759 || 27–23 || L1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 51 || May 31 || @ Orioles || 5–8 || Boskie (3–2) || Mesa (0–3) || Myers (17) || Oriole Park at Camden Yards || 47,739 || 27–24 || L2
|- bgcolor="#bbbbbb" | – || June 1 || @ Orioles || colspan=8 | Postponed (rain, makeup September 15) |- bgcolor="#bbbbbb" | – || June 2 || @ Orioles || colspan=8 | Postponed (rain, makeup September 16) |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 52 || June 3 || White Sox || 5–9 || Darwin (2–2) || Ogea (5–4) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,994 || 27–25 || L3 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 53 || June 4 || White Sox || 4–9 || Baldwin (3–7) || Lopez (2–4) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,992 || 27–26 || L4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 54 || June 5 || White Sox || 5–4 (11) || Shuey (2–1) || Castillo (0–1) || – || Jacobs Field || 42,948 || 28–26 || W1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb"