'The Tito Suite': Guardians manager Terry Francona laughs off lingering health issues

CLEVELAND — While some members of the Guardians are limping into the All-Star break — first baseman Josh Naylor literally — manager Terry Francona also fits that description.

But for those worried that health issues will eventually force Francona into retirement, that is not on the immediate horizon.

Asked before Friday’s game against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field if he still wants to be here, Francona said, “Right now? Yeah. Oh, yeah.”

Francona, 63, estimated he’s undergone at least 45 procedures at the Cleveland Clinic, and was reminded of that when owner Paul Dolan’s wife, Karen, recently had knee surgery.

“They told her they put her in the Tito Suite,” Francona said. “Paul sent me a picture. I don’t think that’s a good thing.”

Able to joke about two years of serious health crises, Francona said when longtime team travel director Mike Seghi had a procedure a month ago, he told Seghi to tell the operating room staff he said hello.

“I said, ‘Tell them I’ll be back, I’m not sure when, but I’ll see ‘em again,’” Francona said. “The last time I went in, they take you in on the gurney, and there were like five people, like, ‘Hey.’ You don’t feel great, they’ve got a hairnet over you; I still don’t know why I need a hairnet. My glasses aren’t on so I can’t see anybody.”

Even under those circumstances, Francona recognized the “Tito Suite.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said.

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Directing a team with an average age that at times this season has been younger than the average Triple-A roster, Francona enjoys the personal conversations when rookies are called up. He revels in the joyous post-game victory celebrations, even if he needs a batting helmet if Naylor is providing the fireworks.

But Francona conceded he must be careful.

“This toe was harder than I ever imagined,” he said. “I have that steel plate at the end of my shoe so it won’t bend. When the day’s over and I go home at night, when I get up and go to the bathroom for like the fourth time, I’ve got to be careful. But it’s getting better.

“Then I have these drains ... I can’t tell you how good I feel about myself there. Those are going to stay in until the end of the year, then they’re going to do another surgery to try to eliminate that. I’m OK, though.”

In 2021, Francona underwent surgery for a painful toe problem that also involved a staph infection and later needed a hip replacement. Francona missed the final 63 games as bench coach DeMarlo Hale took over.

In 2020, Francona managed only 14 games as he dealt with multiple health concerns, including a blood-clotting issue and a gastrointestinal problem that returned in 2021. First base coach Sandy Alomar replaced him.

Francona admitted he is more mindful of taking care of his toe.

“I have two of the innersoles. I actually ordered four more, they help so much,” he said. “It’s like sometimes we’ll be on the road and the game will be over and I’ll go put a pair of shoes on that doesn’t have it and I have to be a little careful there. But if I get enough of these innersoles, I can pretty much do what I want.”

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians Terry Francona has undergone 45 medical procedures