Editing Cleveland Guardians (section)

==History==
{{main|History of the Cleveland Guardians}}

===1896–1935: Columbus, Grand Rapids, and the early Cleveland years===
The origins of the Cleveland Guardians date back to 1896, when the team was founded as the '''Columbus Buckeyes''', a team based in [[Columbus, Ohio]] and competing in the [[Western League (1885–1899)|Western League]]. The club was owned by [[Tom Loftus]], a close friend of both league president [[Ban Johnson]] and [[Charlie Comiskey]], owner of the league's [[St. Paul Saints]].<ref name="ALEvolution" />  In July 1899, the franchise swapped cities and names midseason with the Grand Rapids franchise of the Interstate League, becoming the '''Grand Rapids Prodigals''' while remaining in the Western League.<ref name="IndyJournal">{{cite news |title=WILL CHANGE PLACES. Dons to Go to Grand Rapids and Latter Team to Columbus |work=The Indianapolis Journal |date=July 15, 1899 |page=2}}</ref><ref name="nomad" /> 

[[File:1899 Columbus Senators Grand Rapids Furniture Makers.jpg|thumb|The 1899 Columbus/Grand Rapids team. Hall of Famer [[Rube Waddell]] is back row, second from the left. ]]

In 1900, the team moved to Cleveland and was named the Cleveland Lake Shores, coinciding with Ban Johnson's change of the league name from the Western League to the American League.<ref name="CLEownerhist">{{cite web |last1=Bohmer |first1=David |title=Cleveland Guardians team ownership history |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/topic/cleveland-guardians-team-ownership-history/ |website=sabr.org |access-date=March 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911201222/https://sabr.org/bioproj/topic/cleveland-guardians-team-ownership-history/ |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1900, the American League was still considered a minor league. In 1901, the team was called the Cleveland Bluebirds or Blues when the American League broke with the National Agreement and declared itself a competing Major League. The Cleveland franchise was among its eight charter members, and is one of four teams that remain in its original city, along with [[Boston Red Sox|Boston]], [[Chicago White Sox|Chicago]], and [[Detroit Tigers|Detroit]].

The new team was owned by coal magnate [[Charles Somers]] and tailor Jack Kilfoyl. Somers, a wealthy industrialist and also co-owner of the [[Boston Americans]], lent money to other team owners, including [[Connie Mack]]'s [[Philadelphia Athletics]], to keep them and the new league afloat. Players did not think the name "Bluebirds" was suitable for a baseball team.<ref name="TBT">{{cite book |title=The Team-by-Team Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball |last=Purdy |first=Dennis |year=2006 |publisher=[[Workman Publishing Company|Workman]] |location=New York City |isbn=0-7611-3943-5 }}</ref> Writers frequently shortened it to Cleveland Blues due to the players' all-blue uniforms,<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | page =11 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC 
 | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref> but the players did not like this unofficial name either.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Posnanski|first=Joe|date=October 14, 2016|title=What's in a name?|url=https://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/cleveland-indians-nickname-sockalexis/|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=NBC SportsWorld|language=en-US}}</ref> The players themselves tried to change the name to Cleveland Bronchos in {{baseball year|1902}}, but this name never caught on.<ref name="TBT"/>

[[File:Nap Lajoie 1913.jpg|left|thumb|upright|[[Nap Lajoie]], who won the 1903 American League Batting Championship with the Cleveland Naps, was the team's namesake from 1903 to 1915, and is an [[MLB Hall of Fame]]r.]]

Cleveland suffered from financial problems in their first two seasons. This led Somers to seriously consider moving to either [[Pittsburgh]] or [[Cincinnati]]. Relief came in 1902 as a result of the conflict between the National and American Leagues. In 1901, [[Nap Lajoie|Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie]], the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]' star second baseman, jumped to the A's after his contract was capped at $2,400 per year—one of the highest-profile players to jump to the upstart AL. The Phillies subsequently filed an injunction to force Lajoie's return, which was granted by the [[Pennsylvania Supreme Court]]. The injunction appeared to doom any hopes of an early settlement between the warring leagues. However, a lawyer discovered that the injunction was only enforceable in the state of Pennsylvania.<ref name="TBT"/> Mack, partly to thank Somers for his past financial support, agreed to trade Lajoie to the then-moribund Blues, who offered $25,000 salary over three years.<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | pages =12–13 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref> Due to the injunction, however, Lajoie had to sit out any games played against the A's in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite book | last =Seymour | first = Harold | title = Baseball | publisher = Oxford University Press, US | year =1960 | pages=214–215 | isbn =0-19-500100-1}}</ref> Lajoie arrived in Cleveland on June 4 and was an immediate hit, drawing 10,000 fans to League Park. Soon afterward, he was named team captain, and in 1903 the team was called the Cleveland Napoleons or Naps after a newspaper conducted a write-in contest.<ref name="TBT"/>

Lajoie was named manager in {{MLBy|1905}}, and the team's fortunes improved somewhat. They finished half a game short of the pennant in 1908.<ref name="1908AL">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_1908.shtml |title=1908 American League Standings |access-date=June 19, 2008 |work=Baseball-Reference.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215121155/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_1908.shtml |archive-date=February 15, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, the success did not last and Lajoie resigned during the 1909 season as manager but remained on as a player.<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | page =319 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref>

[[File:1909 Cleveland Naps.jpg|thumb|right|[[1909 Cleveland Naps season|1909 Cleveland Naps]]]]
After that, the team began to unravel, leading Kilfoyl to sell his share of the team to Somers. [[Cy Young]], who returned to Cleveland in 1909, was ineffective for most of his three remaining years<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | page =413 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref> and [[Addie Joss]] died from tubercular meningitis prior to the 1911 season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obituary, Pitcher Joss Dead: Ill Only Few Days |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/04/15/104862167.pdf |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 15, 1911 |access-date=June 20, 2008 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154308/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/04/15/104862167.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Despite a strong lineup anchored by the potent Lajoie and [[Shoeless Joe Jackson]], poor pitching kept the team below third place for most of the next decade. One reporter referred to the team as the Napkins, "because they fold up so easily". The team hit bottom in 1914 and 1915, finishing last place both years.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_1914.shtml |title=1914 American League Standings |access-date=June 27, 2008 |work=Baseball-Reference.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704131724/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_1914.shtml |archive-date=July 4, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_1915.shtml |title=1915 American League Standings |access-date=June 27, 2008 |work=Baseball-Reference.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622121215/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_1915.shtml |archive-date=June 22, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

1915 brought significant changes to the team. Lajoie, nearly 40 years old, was no longer a top hitter in the league, batting only .258 in 1914. With Lajoie engaged in a feud with manager [[Joe Birmingham]], the team sold Lajoie back to the A's.<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | page =321 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref>

With Lajoie gone, the club needed a new name. Somers asked the local baseball writers to come up with a new name, and based on their input, the team was renamed the Cleveland Indians.<ref>"Baseball writers select 'Indians' as the best name to apply to the former Naps" ''[[The Plain Dealer]]'' January 17, 1915: 15</ref> The name referred to the nickname "Indians" that was applied to the [[Cleveland Spiders]] baseball club during the time when [[Louis Sockalexis]], a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], played in Cleveland (1897–1899).<ref>"Looking Backwards" ''The Plain Dealer'' January 18, 1915: 8</ref>

At the same time, Somers' business ventures began to fail, leaving him deeply in debt. With the Indians playing poorly, attendance and revenue suffered.<ref name="Somers">{{cite book| author=Lewis, Franklin| title=The Cleveland Indians | publisher=Kent State University Press reprint from Putnam| isbn= 978-0-87338-885-6
| year=2006| pages=76–77}}</ref> Somers decided to trade Jackson midway through the 1915 season for two players and $31,500, one of the largest sums paid for a player at the time.<ref>{{cite book| author=Ratajczak, Kenneth| title=The Wrong Man Out| publisher=AuthorHouse |year=2008 | isbn= 978-1-4343-5678-9| pages=[https://archive.org/details/wrongmanout0000rata/page/76 76]–77| url=https://archive.org/details/wrongmanout0000rata| url-access=registration}}</ref>

By 1916, Somers was at the end of his tether, and sold the team to a syndicate headed by Chicago railroad contractor [[Jim Dunn (baseball owner)|James C. "Jack" Dunn]].<ref name=Somers/> Manager Lee Fohl, who had taken over in early 1915, acquired two minor league pitchers, [[Stan Coveleski]] and [[Jim Bagby, Sr.|Jim Bagby]] and traded for center fielder [[Tris Speaker]], who was engaged in a salary dispute with the [[Boston Red Sox|Red Sox]].<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | pages =23–24 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref> All three would ultimately become key players in bringing a championship to Cleveland.

{{Wide image|1920 Cleveland Indians Pano.jpg|800px|The 1920 Indians, who won the first World Series Championship in team history|right}}
Speaker took over the reins as [[player-manager]] in {{MLBy|1919}}, and led the team to a championship in 1920. On August 16, 1920, the Indians were playing the [[1920 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] at the [[Polo Grounds]] in New York. Shortstop [[Ray Chapman]], who often crowded the plate, was batting against [[Carl Mays]], who had an unusual underhand delivery. It was also late in the afternoon and the infield was completely shaded with the center field area (the batters' background) bathed in sunlight. As well, at the time, "part of every pitcher's job was to dirty up a new ball the moment it was thrown onto the field. By turns, they smeared it with dirt, licorice, tobacco juice; it was deliberately scuffed, sandpapered, scarred, cut, even spiked. The result was a misshapen, earth-colored ball that traveled through the air erratically, tended to soften in the later innings, and as it came over the plate, was very hard to see."<ref>{{cite book|last=Ward|first=Geoffrey C. |author2=Burns, Ken|title=Baseball: An Illustrated History|publisher=Knopf |year=1996|page=153|isbn=0-679-76541-7}}</ref>

In any case, Chapman did not move reflexively when Mays' pitch came his way. The pitch hit Chapman in the head, fracturing his skull. Chapman died the next day, becoming the only player to sustain a fatal injury from a pitched ball.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/08.17.html|title=Report of Chapman's Death|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 1, 1920|access-date=September 14, 2014|archive-date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009025423/http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/08.17.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians, who at the time were locked in a tight three-way pennant race with the Yankees and [[1920 Chicago White Sox season|White Sox]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Standings&nbsp;– Monday, Aug 16, 1920 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=1920-08-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=March 27, 2018 |archive-date=February 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205091817/http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=1920-08-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> were not slowed down by the death of their teammate. Rookie [[Joe Sewell]] hit .329 after replacing Chapman in the lineup.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ira |last=Berkow |title=SPORTS OF THE TIMES; When Sewell Replaced Ray Chapman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/13/sports/sports-of-the-times-when-sewell-replaced-ray-chapman.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 13, 1989 |access-date=June 27, 2008 |archive-date=April 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413022816/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/13/sports/sports-of-the-times-when-sewell-replaced-ray-chapman.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:TrisSpeakerGoudeycard.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Tris Speaker]] on a 1933 baseball card]]
In September 1920, the [[Black Sox Scandal]] came to a boil. With just a few games left in the season, and Cleveland and Chicago neck-and-neck for first place at 94–54 and 95–56 respectively,<ref>{{cite web |title=CLE 1920 Cleveland Indians Schedule |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1920&t=CLE |work=Baseball Almanac |access-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-date=April 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405231756/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1920&t=CLE |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1920 Chicago White Sox Schedule |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1920&t=CHA |publisher=Baseball Almanac |access-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-date=December 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206193916/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1920&t=CHA |url-status=live }}</ref> the Chicago owner suspended eight players. The White Sox lost two of three in their final series, while Cleveland won four and lost two in their final two series. Cleveland finished two games ahead of Chicago and three games ahead of the Yankees to win its first pennant, led by Speaker's .388 hitting, Jim Bagby's 30 victories and solid performances from [[Steve O'Neill]] and Stan Coveleski. Cleveland went on to defeat the [[1920 Brooklyn Robins season|Brooklyn Robins]] 5–2 in the [[1920 World Series|World Series]] for their first title, winning four games in a row after the Robins took a 2–1 Series lead. The Series included three memorable "firsts", all of them in Game 5 at Cleveland, and all by the home team. In the first inning, right fielder [[Elmer Smith (20th century outfielder)|Elmer Smith]] hit the first Series grand slam. In the fourth inning, [[Jim Bagby, Sr.|Jim Bagby]] hit the first Series home run by a pitcher. In the top of the fifth inning, second baseman [[Bill Wambsganss]] executed the first (and only, so far) unassisted triple play in World Series history, in fact, the only Series triple play of any kind.

The team would not reach the heights of 1920 again for 28 years. Speaker and Coveleski were aging and the Yankees were rising with a new weapon: [[Babe Ruth]] and the home run. They managed two second-place finishes but spent much of the decade in last place. In 1927 Dunn's widow, Mrs. George Pross (Dunn had died in 1922), sold the team to a syndicate headed by [[Alva Bradley]].

===1936–1946: Bob Feller enters the show===
The Indians were a middling team by the 1930s, finishing third or fourth most years. {{Baseball year|1936}} brought Cleveland a new superstar in 17-year-old pitcher [[Bob Feller]], who came from [[Iowa]] with a dominating [[fastball]]. That season, Feller set a record with 17 strikeouts in a single game and went on to lead the league in strikeouts from 1938 to 1941.
[[File:Bob Feller 1953.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Bob Feller]]; winner of the A.L. pitching [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] in 1940, member of the [[1948 World Series]] Championship team, the Indians all-time leader in wins and strikeouts, and an [[MLB Hall of Fame]]r]]

On August 20, 1938, Indians catchers [[Hank Helf]] and [[Frank Pytlak]] set the "all-time altitude mark" by catching baseballs dropped from the {{convert|708|ft|adj=on}} [[Terminal Tower]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119227/index.htm |date=March 11, 1985 |title=When Baseballs Fell from On High, Henry Helf Rose to the Occasion |first=Bruce |last=Anderson |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |access-date=October 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102205626/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119227/index.htm |archive-date=November 2, 2012 }}</ref>

By {{MLBy|1940}}, Feller, along with [[Ken Keltner]], [[Mel Harder]] and [[Lou Boudreau]], led the Indians to within one game of the pennant. However, the team was wracked with dissension, with some players (including Feller and Mel Harder) going so far as to request that Bradley fire manager [[Ossie Vitt]]. Reporters lampooned them as the Cleveland Crybabies.<ref>{{cite web|author=C. Phillip Francis |url=http://www.chatterfromthedugout.com/cleveland_crybabies.htm |title=The Cleveland Crybabies |access-date=June 27, 2008 |work=Chatter from the Dugout |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012214434/http://www.chatterfromthedugout.com/cleveland_crybabies.htm |archive-date=October 12, 2007 }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=August 2012}} Feller, who had pitched a [[no-hitter]] to open the season and won 27 games, lost the final game of the season to unknown pitcher Floyd Giebell of the [[Detroit Tigers]]. The [[1940 Detroit Tigers season|Tigers]] won the pennant and Giebell never won another major league game.<ref>{{cite news |first=Lisa |last=DeMaio Brewer |title=A National Treasure Calls Wilkes "Home" |url=http://www.therecordofwilkes.com/rec20000621/index.htm |work=The Record of Wilkes, N.C. |date=June 21, 2000 |access-date=June 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126002835/http://www.therecordofwilkes.com/rec20000621/index.htm |archive-date=January 26, 2009 }}</ref>

Cleveland entered 1941 with a young team and a new manager; [[Roger Peckinpaugh]] had replaced the despised Vitt; but the team regressed, finishing in fourth. Cleveland would soon be depleted of two stars. [[Hal Trosky]] retired in 1941 due to migraine headaches<ref>{{cite news |first=Leighton |last=Housh |title=Hal Trosky, Norway, 1965 |url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19650404/SPORTS11/50710015 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090213210927/http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19650404/SPORTS11/50710015 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 13, 2009 |work=Des Moines Register |date=April 4, 1965 |access-date=June 27, 2008 }}</ref> and Bob Feller enlisted in the [[United States Navy|Navy]] two days after the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]]. Starting third baseman [[Ken Keltner]] and outfielder [[Ray Mack]] were both drafted in 1945 taking two more starters out of the lineup.<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | page =52 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref>

===1946–1949: The Bill Veeck years===
In {{Baseball year|1946}}, [[Bill Veeck]] formed an investment group that purchased the Cleveland Indians from Bradley's group for a reported $1.6&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell
 | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | pages =56, 346 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref> Among the investors was [[Bob Hope]], who had grown up in Cleveland, and former Tigers slugger, [[Hank Greenberg]].<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Boxerman | first1 = Burton Alan | first2 = Benita W. | last2 = Boxerman | title = Ebbets to Veeck to Busch: Eight Owners Who Shaped Baseball | publisher = McFarland | year = 2003 | page = 128 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=YBdRu_j0kcIC&pg=PA128 | isbn = 0-7864-1562-2 | access-date = November 19, 2015 | archive-date = December 14, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154307/https://books.google.com/books?id=YBdRu_j0kcIC&pg=PA128 | url-status = live }}</ref>
A former owner of a minor league franchise in Milwaukee, Veeck brought to Cleveland a gift for promotion. At one point, Veeck hired rubber-faced<ref>{{cite news |title=Baseball's Clown Prince Dies |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baseballs-clown-prince-dies/ |work=CBS News |access-date=February 17, 2008 |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104114755/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/10/30/archive/main68511.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Max Patkin]], the "Clown Prince of Baseball" as a coach. Patkin's appearance in the coaching box was the sort of promotional stunt that delighted fans but infuriated the American League front office.

Recognizing that he had acquired a solid team, Veeck soon abandoned the aging, small and lightless League Park to take up full-time residence in massive [[Cleveland Municipal Stadium]].<ref name="Borsvold">{{cite book | last = Borsvold | first = David | title = The Cleveland Indians: Cleveland Press Years, 1920–1982 | publisher = Arcadia Publishing | year = 2003 | pages = 37–38 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=v0hgrNuScVMC&pg=PA37 | isbn = 0-7385-2325-9 | access-date = November 19, 2015 | archive-date = December 14, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154338/https://books.google.com/books?id=v0hgrNuScVMC&pg=PA37 | url-status = live }}</ref> The Indians had briefly moved from League Park to Municipal Stadium in mid-1932, but moved back to League Park due to complaints about the cavernous environment. From 1937 onward, however, the Indians began playing an increasing number of games at Municipal, until by 1940 they played most of their home slate there.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lowry|first=Phillip|title=Green Cathedrals|url=https://archive.org/details/greencathedralsu0000lowr_u1c9|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Walker & Company|location=New York City|isbn=0-8027-1562-1}}</ref> League Park was mostly demolished in 1951, but has since been rebuilt as a recreational park.<ref>{{cite news|last=Briggs|first=David|title=League Park may glisten once again|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070806&content_id=2133242&vkey=cle_gameface&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|website=CLEGuardians.com|date=August 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401010151/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070806&content_id=2133242&vkey=cle_gameface&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|archive-date=April 1, 2008|access-date=July 4, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Making the most of the cavernous stadium, Veeck had a portable center field fence installed, which he could move in or out depending on how the distance favored the Indians against their opponents in a given series. The fence moved as much as {{convert|15|ft|m|0}} between series opponents. Following the 1947 season, the American League countered with a rule change that fixed the distance of an outfield wall for the duration of a season. The massive stadium did, however, permit the Indians to set the then-record for the largest crowd to see a Major League baseball game. On October 10, 1948, Game 5 of the [[1948 World Series|World Series]] against the [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] drew over 84,000. The record stood until the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] drew a crowd in excess of 92,500 to watch Game 5 of the [[1959 World Series]] at the [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]] against the [[Chicago White Sox]].

Under Veeck's leadership, one of Cleveland's most significant achievements was breaking the [[Baseball color line|color barrier]] in the [[American League]] by signing [[Larry Doby]], formerly a player for the Negro league's [[Newark Eagles]] in {{Baseball year|1947}}, 11 weeks after [[Jackie Robinson]] signed with the [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Dodgers]].<ref name=Borsvold/> Similar to Robinson, Doby battled racism on and off the field but posted a .301 batting average in 1948, his first full season. A power-hitting center fielder, Doby led the American League twice in homers.

In 1948, needing pitching for the stretch run of the pennant race, Veeck turned to the [[Negro leagues]] again and signed pitching great [[Satchel Paige]] amid much controversy.<ref name=Borsvold/> Barred from Major League Baseball during his prime, Veeck's signing of the aging star in 1948 was viewed by many as another publicity stunt. At an official age of 42, Paige became the oldest rookie in Major League baseball history, and the first black pitcher. Paige ended the year with a 6–1 record with a 2.48 ERA, 45 strikeouts and two shutouts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1948.shtml |title=Satchel Paige 1948 Statistics |access-date=June 28, 2008 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |archive-date=June 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622154225/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1948.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:LouBoudreau1953bowman.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Lou Boudreau]], 1948 American League MVP]]
In {{MLBy|1948}}, veterans Boudreau, Keltner, and [[Joe Gordon]] had career offensive seasons, while newcomers Doby and [[Gene Bearden]] also had standout seasons. The team went down to the wire with the [[1948 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]], winning a one-game playoff, the first in American League history, to go to the [[1948 World Series|World Series]]. In the series, the Indians defeated the [[Atlanta Braves#History|Boston Braves]] four games to two for their first championship in 28 years. Boudreau won the [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|American League MVP Award]].

The Indians appeared in a film the following [[1949 in film|year]] titled ''[[The Kid From Cleveland]]'', in which Veeck had an interest.<ref name=Borsvold/> The film portrayed the team helping out a "troubled teenaged fan"<ref>{{cite web |title=The Kid from Cleveland |date=September 5, 1949 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041545/ |publisher=IMDB.com |access-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-date=March 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301035514/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041545/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and featured many members of the Indians organization. However, filming during the season cost the players valuable rest days leading to fatigue towards the end of the season.<ref name=Borsvold/> That season, Cleveland again contended before falling to third place. On September 23, 1949, Bill Veeck and the Indians buried their 1948 pennant in center field the day after they were mathematically eliminated from the pennant race.<ref name=Borsvold/>

Later in 1949, Veeck's first wife (who had a half-stake in Veeck's share of the team) divorced him. With most of his money tied up in the Indians, Veeck was forced to sell the team<ref>{{cite book | last = Ribowsky | first = Mark | title = Don't Look Back: Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball | publisher = Da Capo Press | year = 2000 | page = 286 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=LT2pirW9nSYC&pg=RA1-PA286 | isbn = 0-306-80963-X }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> to a syndicate headed by insurance magnate Ellis Ryan.

===1950–1959: Near misses===
[[File:Al Rosen 1953.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Al Rosen]], 1953 Most Valuable Player]]
In {{MLBy|1953}}, [[Al Rosen]] was an All Star for the second year in a row, was named ''The Sporting News'' Major League Player of the Year, and won the [[American League Most Valuable Player Award]] in a unanimous vote playing for the Indians after leading the AL in runs, home runs, RBIs (for the second year in a row), and slugging percentage, and coming in second by one point in batting average.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rosenal01.shtml |title=Al Rosen Stats |access-date=April 12, 2018 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154342/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rosenal01.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Ryan was forced out in 1953 in favor of Myron Wilson, who in turn gave way to William Daley in {{MLBy|1956}}. Despite this turnover in the ownership, a powerhouse team composed of Feller, Doby, [[Minnie Miñoso]], [[Luke Easter (baseball)|Luke Easter]], [[Bobby Ávila]], [[Al Rosen]], [[Early Wynn]], [[Bob Lemon]], and [[Mike Garcia (AL pitcher)|Mike Garcia]] continued to contend through the early 1950s. However, Cleveland only won a single pennant in the decade, in 1954, finishing second to the [[1954 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] five times.

[[File:Herb Score 1955.JPG|upright=0.75|thumb|[[Herb Score]] – who was the 1955 [[American League Rookie of the Year]], a two-time A.L. All-Star, and after his playing career was a member of the Indians broadcast team for 34 seasons (1964–1997).]]
The winningest season in franchise history came in 1954, when the [[1954 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] finished the season with a record of 111–43 (.721). That mark set an American League record for wins that stood for 44 years until the [[1998 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] won 114 games in 1998 (a 162-game regular season record of 114-48/.704). The Indians' 1954 winning percentage of .721 is still an American League record. The Indians returned to the [[1954 World Series|World Series]] to face the [[1954 New York Giants (MLB) season|New York Giants]]. The team could not bring home the title, however, ultimately being upset by the Giants in a sweep. The series was notable for [[Willie Mays]]' [[The Catch (baseball)|over-the-shoulder catch]] off the bat of [[Vic Wertz]] in Game 1. Cleveland remained a talented team throughout the remainder of the decade, finishing in second place in 1959, [[George Strickland (baseball)|George Strickland]]'s last full year in the majors.

===1960–1993: The 33-year slump===
From 1960 to 1993, the Indians managed one third-place finish (in 1968) and six fourth-place finishes (in 1960, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1990, and 1992) but spent the rest of the time at or near the bottom of the standings, including four seasons with over 100 losses (1971, 1985, 1987, 1991).

====Frank Lane becomes general manager====
The Indians hired general manager [[Frank Lane]], known as "Trader" Lane, away from the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in 1957. Lane over the years had gained a reputation as a GM who loved to make deals. With the White Sox, Lane had made over 100 trades involving over 400 players in seven years.<ref name="Cards">{{cite book | last1 = Eisenbath | first1 = Mike | first2 = Stan | last2 = Musial | title = The Cardinals Encyclopedia | publisher = Temple University Press | year = 1999 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hymGG28xYcoC&pg=PA410 | isbn = 1-56639-703-0 | access-date = November 19, 2015 | archive-date = December 14, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154310/https://books.google.com/books?id=hymGG28xYcoC&pg=PA410 | url-status = live }}</ref> In a short stint in St. Louis, he traded away [[Red Schoendienst]] and [[Harvey Haddix]].<ref name=Cards/> Lane summed up his philosophy when he said that the only deals he regretted were the ones that he did not make.<ref>{{cite book | last = Schneider | first = Russell | title = Tales from the Tribe Dugout | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2002 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCNvizFvLy0C&pg=PA100 | isbn = 1-58261-303-6 | access-date = November 19, 2015 | archive-date = December 14, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154317/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCNvizFvLy0C&pg=PA100 | url-status = live }}</ref>

One of Lane's early trades in Cleveland was to send [[Roger Maris]] to the [[History of the Kansas City Athletics|Kansas City Athletics]] in the middle of 1958. Indians executive [[Hank Greenberg]] was not happy about the trade<ref name="Maris">{{cite book | last = Rosenfeld | first = Harvey | title = Still a Legend: The Story of Roger Maris | publisher = iUniverse | year = 2002 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=LIQLHXQrAssC&pg=PA44 | isbn = 0-595-24615-X | access-date = November 19, 2015 | archive-date = December 14, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154344/https://books.google.com/books?id=LIQLHXQrAssC&pg=PA44 | url-status = live }}</ref> and neither was Maris, who said that he could not stand Lane.<ref name=Maris/> After Maris broke Babe Ruth's home run record, Lane defended himself by saying he still would have done the deal because Maris was unknown and he received good ballplayers in exchange.<ref name=Maris/>

After the Maris trade, Lane acquired 25-year-old [[Norm Cash]] from the White Sox for [[Minnie Miñoso]] and then traded him to Detroit before he ever played a game for the Indians; Cash went on to hit over 350 home runs for the Tigers. The Indians received [[Steve Demeter]] in the deal, who had only five at-bats for Cleveland.<ref>{{cite news | last = Dow | first = Bill | title = Former Tiger Norm Cash | work = Baseball Digest | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_60/ai_76928886 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120710070550/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_60/ai_76928886 | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 10, 2012 |date=September 2001 | access-date = August 11, 2006 }}</ref>

====Curse of Rocky Colavito====
{{see also|Curse of Rocky Colavito}}

In 1960, Lane made the trade that would define his tenure in Cleveland when he dealt slugging right fielder and fan favorite<ref name="Colavito">{{cite book | last =Borsvold | first =David | title =The Cleveland Indians: Cleveland Press Years, 1920–1982 | publisher =Arcadia Publishing | year =1960 | page =81 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=v0hgrNuScVMC&q=%2B%22colavito%22+%2Bfan+%2Bfavorite&pg=PA81 | isbn =0-7385-2325-9 | access-date =October 16, 2020 | archive-date =December 14, 2020 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154318/https://books.google.com/books?id=v0hgrNuScVMC&q=%2B%22colavito%22+%2Bfan+%2Bfavorite&pg=PA81 | url-status =live }}</ref> [[Rocky Colavito]] to the [[Detroit Tigers]] for [[Harvey Kuenn]] just before Opening Day in {{MLBy|1960}}.

It was a blockbuster trade that swapped the {{MLBy|1959}} AL home run co-champion (Colavito) for the AL batting champion (Kuenn). After the trade, however, Colavito hit over 30 home runs four times and made three All-Star teams for Detroit and Kansas City before returning to Cleveland in {{MLBy|1965}}. Kuenn, on the other hand, played only one season for the Indians before departing for [[San Francisco Giants|San Francisco]] in a trade for an aging [[Johnny Antonelli]] and [[Willie Kirkland]]. ''[[Akron Beacon Journal]]'' columnist [[Terry Pluto]] documented the decades of woe that followed the trade in his book ''The Curse of Rocky Colavito''.<ref>{{cite news |first= Steve|last= Gietschier |title= The Curse of Rocky Colavito: A Loving Look at a Thirty-Year Slump.&nbsp;– book reviews |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n17_v217/ai_15355261 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713173059/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n17_v217/ai_15355261 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 13, 2012 |work= The Sporting News|date=September 25, 1994 |access-date=June 10, 2008 }}</ref> Despite being attached to the curse, Colavito said that he never placed a curse on the Indians but that the trade was prompted by a salary dispute with Lane.<ref name="Curse">{{cite news |first=Stan |last=Grossfeld |title=Colavito Always Straight Shooter |url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/10/12/colavito_always_straight_shooter/ |work=The Boston Globe |date=October 12, 2007 |access-date=June 29, 2008 |archive-date=November 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119021633/http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/10/12/colavito_always_straight_shooter |url-status=live }}</ref>

Lane also engineered a unique trade of managers in mid-season 1960, sending [[Joe Gordon]] to the Tigers in exchange for [[Jimmy Dykes]]. Lane left the team in 1961, but ill-advised trades continued. In 1965, the Indians traded pitcher [[Tommy John]], who would go on to win 288 games in his career, and 1966 Rookie of the Year [[Tommy Agee]] to the White Sox to get Colavito back.<ref name = Curse/>

However, Indians' pitchers set numerous strikeout records. They led the league in K's every year from 1963 to 1968, and narrowly missed in 1969. The 1964 staff was the first to amass 1,100 strikeouts, and in 1968, they were the first to collect more strikeouts than hits allowed.

====Move to the AL East division====
The 1970s were not much better, with the Indians trading away several future stars, including [[Graig Nettles]], [[Dennis Eckersley]], [[Buddy Bell]] and 1971 Rookie of the Year [[Chris Chambliss]],<ref>{{cite book | last =Riess | first = Steven | title = Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball Clubs: Volume 1 | publisher = Univ of South Carolina Press | year = 2006 | page =1067 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCcJVZyl5oYC | isbn = 0-313-32993-1}}</ref> for a number of players who made no impact.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 10-best Yankee Trades of All Time |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=list/bestyankeetrades |work=ESPN.com |date=March 1, 2004 |access-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120014949/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=list%2Fbestyankeetrades |url-status=live }}</ref>

Constant ownership changes did not help the Indians. In 1963, Daley's syndicate sold the team to a group headed by general manager [[Gabe Paul]].<ref name="TBT"/> Three years later, Paul sold the Indians to [[Vernon Stouffer]],<ref>{{cite news |first=Murray |last=Chass |title=BASEBALL; Demise and Pall Of the Indians |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/02/sports/baseball-demise-and-pall-of-the-indians.html?pagewanted=all |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 2, 1991 |access-date=February 17, 2008 |archive-date=July 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729051658/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/02/sports/baseball-demise-and-pall-of-the-indians.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live }}</ref> of the [[Stouffer's]] frozen-food empire. Prior to Stouffer's purchase, the team was rumored to be relocated due to poor attendance. Despite the potential for a financially strong owner, Stouffer had some non-baseball related financial setbacks and, consequently, the team was cash-poor. In order to solve some financial problems, Stouffer had made an agreement to play a minimum of 30 home games in [[New Orleans]] with a view to a possible move there.<ref name="Mileti">{{cite magazine|first=Ron |last=Fimrite |title=Circle The Wagons, Indian Uprising! |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1972/05/29/circle-the-wagons-indian-uprising/ |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=May 29, 1972 |access-date=February 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826001322/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1086136/index.htm |archive-date=August 26, 2012 }}</ref> After rejecting an offer from [[George Steinbrenner]] and former Indian [[Al Rosen]], Stouffer sold the team in 1972 to a group led by [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] and [[Cleveland Barons (1937–1973)|Cleveland Barons]] owner [[Nick Mileti]].<ref name=Mileti/> Steinbrenner went on to buy the New York Yankees in 1973.<ref>{{cite book | last =Schneider | first = Russell | title = Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2001 | page =352 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC | isbn = 1-58261-376-1}}</ref>

Only five years later, Mileti's group sold the team for $11&nbsp;million to a syndicate headed by trucking magnate Steve O'Neill and including former general manager and owner Gabe Paul.<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Goldstein |title=Gabe Paul, Ex-Yankee Official, Dies at 88 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/28/sports/gabe-paul-ex-yankee-official-dies-at-88.html?pagewanted=all |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 28, 1998 |access-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-date=July 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729051747/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/28/sports/gabe-paul-ex-yankee-official-dies-at-88.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live }}</ref> O'Neill's death in 1983 led to the team going on the market once more. O'Neill's nephew Patrick O'Neill did not find a buyer until real estate magnates [[Richard Jacobs (businessman)|Richard E. and David H. Jacobs]] purchased the team in 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/the-30-people-who-defined-cleveland-1972-2002-richard-jacobs|title=The 30 People Who Defined Cleveland 1972–2002: Richard Jacobs|access-date=October 30, 2016|archive-date=October 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030143146/http://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/the-30-people-who-defined-cleveland-1972-2002-richard-jacobs|url-status=live}}</ref>

The team was unable to move out of last place, with losing seasons between 1969 and 1975. One highlight was the acquisition of [[Gaylord Perry]] in {{MLBy|1972}}. The Indians traded fireballer [[Sam McDowell|"Sudden Sam" McDowell]] for Perry, who became the first Indian pitcher to win the [[Cy Young Award]]. In {{MLBy|1975}}, Cleveland broke another color barrier with the hiring of [[Frank Robinson]] as Major League Baseball's first African American manager. Robinson served as player-manager and provided a franchise highlight when he hit a pinch-hit home run on Opening Day. But the high-profile signing of [[Wayne Garland]], a 20-game winner in [[Baltimore Orioles|Baltimore]], proved to be a disaster after Garland suffered from shoulder problems and went 28–48 over five years.<ref>{{cite book | last = Schneider | first = Russell | title = More Tales From the Tribe Dugout | publisher = Sports Publishing, LLC | year = 2005 | url= https://archive.org/details/moretalesfromtri0000schn | url-access = registration | isbn = 1-58261-680-9 }}</ref> The team failed to improve with Robinson as manager and he was fired in {{MLBy|1977}}. In 1977, pitcher [[Dennis Eckersley]] threw a no-hitter against the [[1977 California Angels season|California Angels]]. The next season, he was traded to the [[Boston Red Sox]] where he won 20 games in 1978 and another 17 in 1979.

The 1970s also featured the infamous [[Ten Cent Beer Night]] at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. The ill-conceived promotion at a 1974 game against the [[1974 Texas Rangers season|Texas Rangers]] ended in a riot by fans and a forfeit by the Indians.<ref>{{cite web | last = Jackson | first = Paul | title = The night beer and violence bubbled over in Cleveland | url = https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=beernight/080604&sportCat=mlb | date = June 4, 2008 | access-date = February 17, 2009 | archive-date = October 17, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081017055146/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=beernight%2F080604&sportCat=mlb | url-status = live }}</ref>

There were more bright spots in the 1980s. In May 1981, [[Len Barker]] threw a [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect game]] against the [[1981 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]], joining Addie Joss as the only other Indian pitcher to do so.<ref name="Barker">{{cite web |first=Anthony |last=Castrovince |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060514&content_id=1453617&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |title=Barker's special night remains vivid |date=May 15, 2006 |access-date=July 1, 2008 |work=MLB.com |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107045658/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060514&content_id=1453617&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Joe Charboneau|"Super Joe" Charboneau]] won the [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|American League Rookie of the Year]] award. Charboneau was out of baseball by 1983 due to back injuries<ref>{{cite web |first= Stephen |last= Ripley |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Golf/News/2007/07/08/4323392-sun.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722232755/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Golf/News/2007/07/08/4323392-sun.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 22, 2012 |title=Missing in Action |date=July 8, 2007 |access-date=July 1, 2008 |work=Winnipeg Sun}}</ref> and Barker, who was also hampered by injuries, never became a consistently dominant starting pitcher.<ref name=Barker/>

[[File:Frank Robinson 1975 (1).jpeg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|In 1975, [[Frank Robinson]] became the first [[African-American]] manager in MLB history. ]]
Eventually, the Indians traded Barker to the [[Atlanta Braves]] for [[Brett Butler (baseball)|Brett Butler]] and [[Brook Jacoby]],<ref name=Barker/> who became mainstays of the team for the remainder of the decade. Butler and Jacoby were joined by [[Joe Carter]], [[Mel Hall]], [[Julio Franco]] and [[Cory Snyder]], bringing new hope to fans in the late 1980s.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ron |last=Fimrite |title=Pow! Wow! |url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1065788/index.htm |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=April 6, 1987 |access-date=February 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826001347/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1065788/index.htm |archive-date=August 26, 2012 }}</ref>

Cleveland's struggles over the 30-year span were highlighted in the 1989 film ''[[Major League (film)|Major League]]'', which comically depicted a hapless Cleveland ball club going from worst to first by the end of the film.

[[file:Slider 5-28-12.jpg|right|thumb|Slider, the team mascot since 1990]]
Throughout the 1980s, the Indians' owners had pushed for a new stadium. Cleveland Stadium had been a symbol of the Indians' glory years in the 1940s and 1950s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/cle_history_overview.jsp?story=3|title=History Timeline|website=Cleveland Indians|access-date=October 30, 2016|archive-date=August 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820050823/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/cle_history_overview.jsp?story=3|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, during the lean years even crowds of 40,000 were swallowed up by the cavernous environment. The old stadium was not aging gracefully; chunks of concrete were falling off in sections and the old wooden pilings were petrifying.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jon |last=Morgan |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/bal-modell121795,1,3690562.story?page=1 |title=Inside the Browns deal |date=December 17, 1995 |access-date=July 1, 2008 |work=Baltimore Sun, reprinted by the Chicago Tribune}}</ref> In 1984, a proposal for a $150&nbsp;million domed stadium was defeated in a referendum 2–1.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/10/us/tax-rise-and-domed-stadium-are-voted-down-in-cleveland.html |title=Tax Rise and Domed Stadium Are Voted Down in Cleveland |date=May 10, 1984 |access-date=July 1, 2008 |agency=Associated Press |work=The New York Times |archive-date=November 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112071423/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/10/us/tax-rise-and-domed-stadium-are-voted-down-in-cleveland.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Finally, in May 1990, [[Cuyahoga County, Ohio|Cuyahoga County]] voters passed an [[Pigovian tax|excise tax]] on sales of alcohol and cigarettes in the county. The tax proceeds were to be used for financing the construction of the [[Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex]], which would include [[Jacobs Field]] for the Indians and [[Gund Arena]] for the [[Cleveland Cavs]] basketball team.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Stoffel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/13/business/real-estate-new-sports-complex-for-cleveland.html |title=New Sports Complex for Cleveland |date=June 13, 1990 |access-date=July 1, 2008 |work=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=September 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916162752/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/13/business/real-estate-new-sports-complex-for-cleveland.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The team's fortunes started to turn in {{Baseball year|1989}}, ironically with a very unpopular trade. The team sent power-hitting outfielder [[Joe Carter]] to the [[San Diego Padres]] for two unproven players, [[Sandy Alomar Jr.]] and [[Carlos Baerga]]. Alomar made an immediate impact, not only being elected to the [[1990 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star team]] but also winning Cleveland's fourth [[MLB Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] award and a [[Gold Glove Award|Gold Glove]]. Baerga became a three-time All-Star with consistent offensive production.

Indians general manager [[John Hart (baseball)|John Hart]] made a number of moves that finally brought success to the team. In {{MLBy|1991}}, he hired former Indian [[Mike Hargrove]] to manage and traded catcher [[Eddie Taubensee]] to the [[Houston Astros]] who, with a surplus of outfielders, were willing to part with [[Kenny Lofton]]. Lofton finished second in AL Rookie of the Year balloting with a .285 average and 66 [[stolen base]]s.

The Indians were named "Organization of the Year" by ''Baseball America''<ref>{{cite web |title=The Official Site of The Cleveland Indians: History: Indians History |url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/cle_history_overview.jsp?story=5 |publisher=Major League Baseball, Cleveland Indians |access-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-date=December 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212102356/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/cle_history_overview.jsp?story=5 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in 1992, in response to the appearance of offensive bright spots and an improving [[Farm team|farm system]].

The team suffered a tragedy during spring training of {{MLBy|1993}}, when a boat carrying pitchers [[Steve Olin]], [[Tim Crews]], and [[Bob Ojeda]] crashed into a pier. Olin and Crews were killed, and Ojeda was seriously injured. (Ojeda missed most of the season, and retired the following year).<ref>{{cite web |first=Jayson |last=Stark |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=1527339&type=columnist |title=Ten years later, the pain is still there |date=March 21, 2003 |access-date=June 30, 2008 |work=ESPN.com |archive-date=December 21, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041221150453/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1527339&type=columnist |url-status=live }}</ref>

By the end of the 1993 season, the team was in transition, leaving Cleveland Stadium and fielding a talented nucleus of young players. Many of those players came from the Indians' new [[AAA (baseball)|AAA]] farm team, the [[Charlotte Knights]], who won the [[International League]] title that year.

===1994–2001: New beginnings===
====1994: Jacobs Field opens====
{{main|1994 Cleveland Indians season}}

[[File:Jacobs Field main sign.JPG|right|thumb|[[Jacobs Field]] sign pictured in 2006]]
Indians General Manager [[John Hart (baseball)|John Hart]] and team owner [[Richard Jacobs (businessman)|Richard E. Jacobs]] managed to turn the team's fortunes around. The Indians opened [[Jacobs Field]] in 1994 with the aim of improving on the prior season's sixth-place finish. The Indians were only one game behind the division-leading [[1994 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] on August 12 when a [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|players strike]] wiped out the rest of the season.

====1995–1996: First AL pennant since 1954====

Having contended for the division in the aborted 1994 season, Cleveland sprinted to a 100–44 record (the season was shortened by 18 games due to player/owner negotiations) in 1995, winning its first-ever divisional title. Veterans [[Dennis Martínez]], [[Orel Hershiser]] and [[Eddie Murray]] combined with a young core of players including [[Omar Vizquel]], [[Albert Belle]], [[Jim Thome]], [[Manny Ramírez]], [[Kenny Lofton]] and [[Charles Nagy]] to lead the league in team batting average as well as team ERA.

After defeating the [[1995 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] in the [[1995 American League Division Series|Division Series]] and the [[1995 Seattle Mariners season|Seattle Mariners]] in the [[1995 American League Championship Series|ALCS]], Cleveland clinched the American League pennant and a [[World Series]] berth, for the first time since 1954. The [[1995 World Series|World Series]] ended in disappointment, however: the Indians fell in six games to the [[1995 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]].

[[File:Kenny Lofton 1996.jpg|thumb|[[Kenny Lofton]] in 1996]]
Tickets for every Indians home game sold out several months before opening day in 1996.<ref name="Tickets">{{cite news|title=Indians plan to sell additional tickets|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/07/sports/baseball-indians-plan-to-sell-additional-tickets.html|access-date=October 19, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=March 7, 1996|archive-date=October 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020115959/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/07/sports/baseball-indians-plan-to-sell-additional-tickets.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians repeated as AL Central champions but lost to the [[Wild card (sports)|wild card]] [[1996 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[1996 American League Division Series|Division Series]].

====1997: Two outs away====
{{main|1997 Cleveland Indians season}}

In 1997, Cleveland started slow but finished with an 86–75 record. Taking their third consecutive AL Central title, the Indians defeated the [[1997 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in the [[1997 American League Division Series|Division Series]], 3–2. After defeating the [[1997 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[1997 American League Championship Series|ALCS]], Cleveland went on to face the [[1997 Florida Marlins season|Florida Marlins]] in the [[1997 World Series|World Series]] that featured the coldest game in World Series history. With the series tied after Game 6, the Indians went into the ninth inning of Game Seven with a 2–1 lead, but closer [[José Mesa]] allowed the Marlins to tie the game. In the eleventh inning, [[Édgar Rentería]] drove in the winning run giving the Marlins their first championship. Cleveland became the first team to lose the World Series after carrying the lead into the ninth inning of the seventh game.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Bloch |title=Cleveland's Legacy of Loss |url=http://www.panmodern.com/cleveland_Mark_Bloch.html |work=[[ESPN.com]] |date=October 27, 1997 |access-date=October 5, 2024}}</ref> 

====1998–2001====
In [[1998 Cleveland Indians season|1998]], the Indians made the postseason for the fourth straight year. After defeating the wild-card [[1998 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] 3–1 in the [[1998 American League Division Series|Division Series]], Cleveland lost the [[1998 American League Championship Series|1998 ALCS]] in six games to the [[1998 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]], who had come into the postseason with a then-AL record 114 wins in the regular season.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=No work Yankees |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/1998/postseason/news/1998/10/14/series_yankees/ |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=October 15, 1998 |access-date=September 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010619025513/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/1998/postseason/news/1998/10/14/series_yankees/ |archive-date=June 19, 2001 }}</ref>

For the [[1999 Cleveland Indians season|1999 season]], Cleveland added relief pitcher [[Ricardo Rincón]] and second baseman [[Roberto Alomar]], brother of catcher Sandy Alomar Jr.,<ref>{{cite news |first=Ros |last=Newhan |title=Early Returns Favor Braves |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-nov-29-sp-48911-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=November 29, 1998 |access-date=September 8, 2008 |archive-date=December 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206141959/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/29/sports/sp-48911 |url-status=live }}</ref> and won the Central Division title for the fifth consecutive year. The team scored 1,009 runs, becoming the first (and to date only) team since the 1950 Boston Red Sox to score more than 1,000 runs in a season. This time, Cleveland did not make it past the first round, losing the [[1999 American League Division Series|Division Series]] to the [[1999 Boston Red Sox season|Red Sox]], despite taking a 2–0 lead in the series. In game three, Indians starter Dave Burba went down with an injury in the 4th inning.<ref name="Burba">{{cite news |first=Joe |last=Lapointe |title=1999 PLAYOFFS: DIVISION SERIES; Red Sox Find Answers, Raising More Questions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/10/sports/1999-playoffs-division-series-red-sox-find-answers-raising-more-questions.html?pagewanted=all |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 10, 1999 |access-date=September 8, 2008 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154312/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/10/sports/1999-playoffs-division-series-red-sox-find-answers-raising-more-questions.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live }}</ref> Four pitchers, including presumed game four starter [[Jaret Wright]], surrendered nine runs in relief. Without a long reliever or emergency starter on the playoff roster, Hargrove started both [[Bartolo Colón]] and [[Charles Nagy]] in games four and five on only three days rest.<ref name=Burba/> The Indians lost game four 23–7 and game five 12–8.<ref>{{cite news|title=Red Sox headed to ALCS after beating Cleveland 12–8 |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/1999/postseason/division_series/al_div2/news/1999/10/11/redsox_indians_ap/ |work=CNNSI.com |date=October 12, 1999 |access-date=September 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714034232/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/1999/postseason/division_series/al_div2/news/1999/10/11/redsox_indians_ap/ |archive-date=July 14, 2007 }}</ref> Four days later, Hargrove was dismissed as manager.<ref>{{cite book |first=John |last=Snyder |title=Indians Journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC&pg=PA501 |publisher=Menasha Ridge Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-57860-308-4 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154318/https://books.google.com/books?id=9jkqN0qu-fcC&pg=PA501 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2000, the [[2000 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] had a 44–42 start, but caught fire after the All Star break and went 46–30 the rest of the way to finish 90–72.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=2000-07-09|title=Standings on Sunday, July 9, 2000 - Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214154326/https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/?date=2000-07-09|url-status=live}}</ref> The team had one of the league's best offenses that year and a defense that yielded three gold gloves. However, they ended up five games behind the [[2000 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] in the Central division and missed the wild card by one game to the [[2000 Seattle Mariners season|Seattle Mariners]]. Mid-season trades brought [[Bob Wickman]] and [[Jake Westbrook]] to Cleveland. After the season, free-agent outfielder [[Manny Ramírez]] departed for the [[Boston Red Sox]].

In 2000, [[Larry Dolan|Larry J. Dolan]] bought the Indians for $320&nbsp;million from Richard E. Jacobs, who, along with his late brother David, had paid $45&nbsp;million for the club in 1986. The sale set a record at the time for the sale of a baseball franchise.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cleveland Indians sold to Dolan|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/-cleveland-indians-sold-dolan/story.aspx?guid=%7B30D9D583-27E3-4DC4-88E4-46E59CB9252B%7D|work=CBS Marketwatch |date=November 4, 1999 |access-date=September 8, 2008}}</ref>

[[2001 Cleveland Indians season|2001]] saw a return to the postseason. After the departures of Ramírez and [[Sandy Alomar Jr.]], the Indians signed [[Ellis Burks]] and former [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] [[Juan González (baseball)|Juan González]], who helped the team win the Central division with a 91–71 record. One of the highlights came on August 5, when the Indians completed the biggest comeback in MLB History. Cleveland rallied to close a 14–2 deficit in the seventh inning to defeat the [[2001 Seattle Mariners season|Seattle Mariners]] 15–14 in 11 innings. The Mariners, who won an MLB record-tying 116 games that season, had a strong bullpen, and Indians manager [[Charlie Manuel]] had already pulled many of his starters with the game seemingly out of reach.

Seattle and Cleveland met in the [[2001 American League Division Series|first round of the postseason]]; however, the Mariners won the series 3–2. In the 2001–02 offseason, GM John Hart resigned and his assistant, [[Mark Shapiro (sports executive)|Mark Shapiro]], took the reins.

===2002–2010: The Shapiro/Wedge years===
[[File:Mark Shapiro.png|upright=0.75|thumb|[[Mark Shapiro (sports executive)|Mark Shapiro]] – Indians GM from 2001 to 2010, President from 2010 to 2015, and two-time [[Sporting News Executive of the Year Award|Sporting News Executive of the Year]]]]

====First "rebuilding of the team"====
Shapiro moved to rebuild by dealing aging veterans for younger talent. He traded [[Roberto Alomar]] to the [[New York Mets]] for a package that included outfielder [[Matt Lawton]] and prospects [[Alex Escobar]] and [[Billy Traber]]. When the team fell out of contention in mid-{{MLBy|2002}}, Shapiro fired manager [[Charlie Manuel]] and traded pitching ace [[Bartolo Colón]] for prospects [[Brandon Phillips]], [[Cliff Lee]], and [[Grady Sizemore]]; acquired [[Travis Hafner]] from the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Rangers]] for [[Ryan Drese]] and [[Einar Díaz]]; and picked up [[Coco Crisp]] from the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] for aging starter [[Chuck Finley]]. [[Jim Thome]] left after the season, going to the Phillies for a larger contract.

Young Indians teams finished far out of contention in 2002 and {{MLBy|2003}} under new manager [[Eric Wedge]]. They posted strong offensive numbers in {{MLBy|2004}}, but continued to struggle with a bullpen that blew more than 20 saves. A highlight of the season was a 22–0 victory over the [[2004 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] on August 31, one of the worst defeats suffered by the Yankees in team history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240831110 |title=Vizquel's six hits tie AL record |access-date=June 8, 2008 |publisher=ESPN |date=August 31, 2004 |archive-date=April 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415003000/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240831110 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In early {{MLBy|2005}}, the offense got off to a poor start. After a brief July slump, the [[2005 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] caught fire in August, and cut a 15.5 game deficit in the Central Division down to 1.5 games. However, the season came to an end as the Indians went on to lose six of their last seven games, five of them by one run, missing the playoffs by only two games. Shapiro was named [[Sporting News Executive of the Year Award|Executive of the Year]] in 2005.<ref name="cleveland.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1194342071241541.xml&coll=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107073357/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/plaindealer/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fsports%2F1194342071241541.xml&coll=2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 7, 2007 |title=Northeast Ohio |access-date=September 14, 2014 }}</ref> [[2006 Major League Baseball season|The next season]], the club made several roster changes, while retaining its nucleus of young players. The off-season was highlighted by the acquisition of top prospect [[Andy Marte]] from the [[Boston Red Sox]]. The Indians had a solid offensive season, led by career years from [[Travis Hafner]] and [[Grady Sizemore]]. Hafner, despite missing the last month of the season, tied the single season grand slam record of six, which was set in {{MLBy|1987}} by [[Don Mattingly]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/14/sports/baseball/14haffner.html|title=BASEBALL; Hafner's 6th Grand Slam Ties Mattingly|date=August 14, 2006|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=October 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009143847/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/14/sports/baseball/14haffner.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the solid offensive performance, the bullpen struggled with 23 blown saves (a Major League worst), and the Indians finished a disappointing fourth.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/mlb031/11405274/detail.html |title=Cleveland Indians 2007 Preview |last=Ruddick |first=Chris |date=March 27, 2007 |publisher=News Net 5 |access-date=March 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324085206/http://www.newsnet5.com/mlb031/11405274/detail.html |archive-date=March 24, 2012 }}</ref>

In {{MLBy|2007}}, Shapiro signed veteran help for the bullpen and outfield in the offseason. Veterans [[Aaron Fultz]] and [[Joe Borowski (baseball)|Joe Borowski]] joined [[Rafael Betancourt]] in the Indians bullpen.<ref name="MLB2007">{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070328&content_id=1864413&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|title=Indians Opening Day outlook|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|date=March 30, 2007|work=MLB.com|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=April 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417161542/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070328&content_id=1864413&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians improved significantly over the prior year and went into the All-Star break in second place. The team brought back [[Kenny Lofton]] for his third stint with the team in late July.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playoffs2007/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3049840|title=Lofton keeps on ticking, delivers huge performance for Indians|last=Crasnick|first=Jerry|date=October 4, 2007|publisher=ESPN|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=December 17, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217123233/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2007/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3049840|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians finished with a 96–66 record tied with the Red Sox for best in baseball, their seventh Central Division title in 13 years and their first postseason trip since 2001.<ref name="WP2007">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101102506_pf.html|title=Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians|date=October 12, 2007|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=November 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113041150/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101102506_pf.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:CC Sabathia.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.75|[[CC Sabathia]] won the 2007 AL [[Cy Young Award]] with the Indians.]]
[[file:Cliff Lee Follows Through.jpg|right|thumb|Sabathia's teammate [[Cliff Lee]] won the AL Cy Young Award in 2008.]]

The Indians began their playoff run by defeating the [[2007 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] in the [[2007 American League Division Series|ALDS]] three games to one. This series will be most remembered for the swarm of bugs that overtook the field in the later innings of Game Two. They also jumped out to a three-games-to-one lead over the [[Boston Red Sox|Red Sox]] in the [[2007 American League Championship Series|ALCS]]. The season ended in disappointment when Boston swept the final three games to advance to the [[2007 World Series]].<ref name="WP2007"/>

Despite the loss, Cleveland players took home a number of awards. [[Grady Sizemore]], who had a .995 [[fielding percentage]] and only two errors in 405 chances, won the [[Rawlings Gold Glove Award|Gold Glove award]], Cleveland's first since 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071106&content_id=2293684&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|title=Sizemore earns first Gold Glove Award|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|date=November 6, 2007|work=MLB.com|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=March 6, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306121453/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071106&content_id=2293684&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|url-status=live}}</ref> Indians Pitcher [[CC Sabathia]] won the second [[Cy Young Award]] in team history with a 19–7 record, a 3.21 ERA and an MLB-leading 241 [[innings pitched]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3108321|title=Sabathia only second Indians pitcher to win Cy Young|date=November 14, 2007|publisher=ESPN|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=November 15, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071115160331/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3108321|url-status=live}}</ref> Eric Wedge was awarded the first [[Manager of the Year Award]] in team history.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/wedge-melvin-voted-baseball-s-top-managers-1.655284?ref=rss|title=Wedge, Melvin voted baseball's top managers|date=November 14, 2007|publisher=CBC Sports|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=November 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110054648/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story/2007/11/14/baseball-managers.html?ref=rss|url-status=live}}</ref> Shapiro was named to his second [[Sporting News Executive of the Year Award|Executive of the Year]] in 2007.<ref name="cleveland.com"/>

====Second "rebuilding of the team"====
The [[2008 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] struggled during the 2008 season. Injuries to sluggers [[Travis Hafner]] and [[Victor Martinez (baseball)|Victor Martinez]], as well as starting pitchers [[Jake Westbrook]] and [[Fausto Carmona]] led to a poor start.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/indians/2008-12-23-indiansreport_N.htm|title=Indians have closer in fold, but infield in flux|last=Antonen|first=Mel|date=December 25, 2008|work=USA Today|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725123834/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/indians/2008-12-23-indiansreport_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The Indians, falling to last place for a short time in June and July, traded [[CC Sabathia]] to the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] for prospects [[Matt LaPorta]], Rob Bryson, and [[Michael Brantley]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/sports/baseball/08brewers.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/B/Baseball|title=Looking to Postseason, Brewers Trade for Sabathia|last=Curry|first=Jack|date=July 8, 2008|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 21, 2009|archive-date=April 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416011936/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/sports/baseball/08brewers.html?n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FSubjects%2FB%2FBaseball|url-status=live}}</ref> and traded starting third baseman Casey Blake for catching prospect [[Carlos Santana (baseball)|Carlos Santana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=C&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=467793|title=Carlos Santana Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|work=MiLB.com|access-date=September 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901005459/http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=C&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=467793|archive-date=September 1, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pitcher [[Cliff Lee]] went 22–3 with an ERA of 2.54 and earned the AL Cy Young Award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cliff Lee Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leecl02.shtml|access-date=February 12, 2021|website=Baseball-Reference.com|language=en|archive-date=May 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503152420/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leecl02.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Grady Sizemore]] had a career year, winning a [[Gold Glove Award]] and a [[Silver Slugger Award]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081113&content_id=3678011&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|title=Sizemore adds Silver Slugger to list|last=Beck|first=Jason|date=November 13, 2008|work=MLB.com|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-date=March 6, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306060314/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081113&content_id=3678011&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Indians finished with a record of 81–81.

Prospects for the 2009 season dimmed early when the [[2009 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]] ended May with a record of 22–30. Shapiro made multiple trades: [[Cliff Lee]] and [[Ben Francisco]] to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] for prospects [[Jason Knapp (baseball)|Jason Knapp]], [[Carlos Carrasco (baseball)|Carlos Carrasco]], [[Jason Donald (baseball)|Jason Donald]] and [[Lou Marson]]; [[Víctor Martínez (baseball)|Victor Martinez]] to the [[Boston Red Sox]] for prospects [[Bryan Price (pitcher)|Bryan Price]], [[Nick Hagadone]] and [[Justin Masterson]]; [[Ryan Garko]] to the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] for [[Scott Barnes (baseball)|Scott Barnes]]; and [[Kelly Shoppach]] to the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] for [[Mitch Talbot]]. The Indians finished the season tied for fourth in their division, with a record of 65–97. The team announced on September 30, 2009, that Eric Wedge and all of the team's coaching staff were released at the end of the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite news|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|title=Indians dismiss Wedge, coaching staff|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090930&content_id=7241814&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|website=CLEGuardians.com|date=September 30, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014083849/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090930&content_id=7241814&vkey=news_cle&c_id=cle&fext=.jsp|archive-date=October 14, 2013|access-date=July 4, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Manny Acta]] was hired as the team's 40th manager on October 25, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|last=Castrovince|first=Anthony|title=Tribe tabs Acta to be new manager|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091025&content_id=7544218|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|website=MLB.com|date=October 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107045726/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091025&content_id=7544218|archive-date=November 7, 2012|access-date=July 4, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On February 18, 2010, it was announced that Shapiro (following the end of the 2010 season) would be promoted to team President, with current President [[Paul Dolan (baseball)|Paul J. Dolan]] becoming the new Chairman/CEO, and longtime Shapiro assistant [[Chris Antonetti]] filling the GM role.<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Hoynes |title=Cleveland Indians know what future holds, announce plan for changes in front office |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/02/cleveland_indians_know_what_fu.html |work=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |date=February 19, 2010 |access-date=February 20, 2010 |archive-date=February 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220212552/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/02/cleveland_indians_know_what_fu.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===2011–present: Antonetti/Chernoff/Francona era===
[[file:Mike Chernoff (baseball) 2017-01-27 (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Mike Chernoff (baseball)|Mike Chernoff]], who has served as Indians/Guardians' general manager since 2015]]
[[File:Terry Francona on June 26, 2013.jpg|left|upright=0.7|thumb|Former manager [[Terry Francona]], who in his tenure with the Indians/Guardians (2013–2023) was a three-time AL Manager of the Year (2013, 2016, 2022), led the team to the 2016 AL Championship, and is the all-time franchise leader in wins by a manager]]
On January 18, 2011, longtime popular former first baseman and manager [[Mike Hargrove]] was brought in as a special adviser. The Indians started the 2011 season strong&nbsp;– going 30–15 in their first 45 games and seven games ahead of the [[2011 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers]] for first place. Injuries led to a slump where the Indians fell out of first place. Many minor leaguers such as [[Jason Kipnis]] and [[Lonnie Chisenhall]] got opportunities to fill in for the injuries.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/gametracker/preview/MLB_20120405_TOR@CLE/blue-jaysindians-preview |title=MLB Preview – Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians – Apr 05, 2012 |work=CBSSports.com |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407091603/http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/gametracker/preview/MLB_20120405_TOR@CLE/blue-jaysindians-preview |url-status=live }}</ref> The biggest news of the season came on July 30 when the Indians traded four prospects for [[Colorado Rockies]] star pitcher, [[Ubaldo Jiménez]]. The Indians sent their top two pitchers in the minors, [[Alex White (baseball)|Alex White]] and [[Drew Pomeranz]] along with [[Joe Gardner (baseball)|Joe Gardner]] and [[Matt McBride]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2011/07/ubaldo-jimenez-trades-to-cleveland-indians/1#.T39J-BB5mK0|title=Ubaldo Jimenez traded to Indians for four players|work=USA Today|access-date=September 14, 2014|archive-date=August 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804193338/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2011/07/ubaldo-jimenez-trades-to-cleveland-indians/1#.T39J-BB5mK0|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 25, the Indians signed the team leader in home runs, [[Jim Thome]] off of waivers.<ref>{{cite web |author=AP File |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/cleveland_indians_working_on_d.html |title=Back where he began: Cleveland Indians obtain Jim Thome from Twins for player to be named |date=August 26, 2011 |publisher=cleveland.com |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107132623/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/cleveland_indians_working_on_d.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He made his first appearance in an Indians uniform since he left Cleveland after the 2002 season. To honor Thome, the Indians placed him at his original position, third base, for one pitch against the Minnesota Twins on September 25. It was his first appearance at third base since 1996, and his last for Cleveland.<ref>{{cite web |author=Northeast Ohio |url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/09/shelley_duncans_2-run_hr_gives.html |title=Minnesota Twins beat Cleveland Indians, 6–4, in 10 innings; Jim Thome makes appearance at 3B |date=September 25, 2011 |publisher=cleveland.com |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=July 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729103939/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/09/shelley_duncans_2-run_hr_gives.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Indians finished the season in 2nd place, 15 games behind the division champion Tigers.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/story/2012-04-03/AL-Central-preview/53985226/1 | work=USA Today | title=Most Popular E-mail Newsletter | date=April 3, 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Corey Kluber on June 27, 2013.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.85|[[Corey Kluber]], who is a two-time AL [[Cy Young Award]] winner with the Indians (2014, 2017)]]
The Indians broke [[Progressive Field]]'s Opening Day attendance record with 43,190 against the [[2012 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]] on April 5, 2012. The game went 16 innings, setting the MLB Opening Day record, and lasted 5 hours and 14 minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbaltv.com/r/30847185/detail.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209022636/http://www.wbaltv.com/r/30847185/detail.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |title=Blue Jays Win Longest Opening Day Game In History &#124; WBAL Home – WBAL Home |publisher=Wbaltv.com |date=April 6, 2012 |access-date=January 23, 2013 }}</ref>

On September 27, 2012, with six games left in the Indians' 2012 season, [[Manny Acta]] was fired; [[Sandy Alomar Jr.]] was named interim manager for the remainder of the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cleveland Indians fire manager Manny Acta|date=September 27, 2012|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8432168/cleveland-indians-fire-manager-manny-acta-6-games-remaining-season|publisher=ESPN|access-date=March 31, 2013|archive-date=January 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102055129/http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8432168/cleveland-indians-fire-manager-manny-acta-6-games-remaining-season|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 6, the Indians announced that [[Terry Francona]], who managed the Boston Red Sox to five playoff appearances and two World Series between 2004 and 2011, would take over as manager for 2013.<ref name="foxsports">{{cite web|title=Francona Hired as Indians manager|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/terry-francona-cleveland-indians-manager-opening-100612|work=Fox Sports|access-date=March 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305084343/http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/terry-francona-cleveland-indians-manager-opening-100612|archive-date=March 5, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Indians entered the 2013 season following an active offseason of dramatic roster turnover. Key acquisitions included free agent 1B/OF [[Nick Swisher]] and CF [[Michael Bourn]].<ref name="rosenthal">{{cite web|last=Rosenthal|first=Ken|title=Bourn makes Tribe relevant again|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/michael-bourn-deal-makes-cleveland-indians-relevant-again-terry-francona-nick-swisher-drew-stubbs-michael-brantley-021113|work=Fox Sports|access-date=March 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329103626/http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/michael-bourn-deal-makes-cleveland-indians-relevant-again-terry-francona-nick-swisher-drew-stubbs-michael-brantley-021113|archive-date=March 29, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The team added prized right-handed pitching prospect [[Trevor Bauer]], OF [[Drew Stubbs]], and relief pitchers [[Bryan Shaw (baseball)|Bryan Shaw]] and [[Matt Albers]] in a three-way trade with the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] and [[Cincinnati Reds]] that sent RF [[Shin-Soo Choo]] to the Reds, and [[Tony Sipp]] to the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Baskin|first=Andy|title=Getting to know your 2013 Indians: Trevor Bauer|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/sports/baseball/indians/getting-to-know-your-2013-indians-trevor-bauer|access-date=March 31, 2013|newspaper=News Net 5|date=March 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508202938/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/sports/baseball/indians/getting-to-know-your-2013-indians-trevor-bauer|archive-date=May 8, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other notable additions included utility man [[Mike Avilés]], catcher [[Yan Gomes]], designated hitter [[Jason Giambi]], and starting pitcher [[Scott Kazmir]].<ref name=rosenthal/><ref name="hoynes">{{cite web|last=Hoynes|first=Paul|title=Cleveland Indians 2013: A look back at their significant offseason moves|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2013/03/cleveland_indians_2013_a_look.html|work=Cleveland.com|date=March 31, 2013|access-date=March 31, 2013|archive-date=April 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403093120/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2013/03/cleveland_indians_2013_a_look.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2013 Indians increased their win total by 24 over 2012 (from 68 to 92), finishing in second place, one game behind Detroit in the Central division, but securing the number one seed in the American League Wild Card Standings. In their first postseason appearance since 2007, Cleveland lost the [[2013 American League Wild Card Game]] 4–0 at home to Tampa Bay. Francona was recognized for the turnaround with the 2013 [[American League Manager of the Year]] Award.

With an 85–77 record, the 2014 Indians had consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1999–2001, but they were eliminated from playoff contention during the last week of the season and finished third in the AL Central.

[[file:Shane Bieber February 1, 2020 (49488948046).jpg|upright=0.7|thumb|right|[[Shane Bieber]], who won the 2020 AL Cy Young Award, giving the team five winners in 14 seasons]]
In 2015, after struggling through the first half of the season, the Indians finished 81–80 for their third consecutive winning season, which the team had not done since 1999–2001. For the second straight year, the Tribe finished third in the Central and was eliminated from the Wild Card race during the last week of the season. Following the departure of longtime team executive [[Mark Shapiro (sports executive)|Mark Shapiro]] on October 6, the Indians promoted GM [[Chris Antonetti]] to President of Baseball Operations, assistant general manager [[Mike Chernoff (baseball)|Mike Chernoff]] to GM, and named [[Derek Falvey]] as assistant GM.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wkyc.com/story/sports/mlb/indians/2015/10/06/indians-promote-chris-antonetti-to-president/73451268/|title=Cleveland Indians promote Chris Antonetti to President|last=TEGNA}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Falvey was later hired by the [[Minnesota Twins]] in 2016, becoming their President of Baseball Operations.

The Indians set what was then a franchise record for longest winning streak when they won their 14th consecutive game, a 2–1 win over the [[2016 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]] in 19 innings on July 1, 2016, at [[Rogers Centre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360701114|title=Indians' streak hits 14 after 19-inning win vs. Jays|access-date=July 2, 2016|archive-date=July 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160705162950/http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360701114|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/sep/15/cleveland-indians-win-streak-ends-royals|title=Cleveland Indians' record win streak ended at 22 by Kansas City Royals|agency=Associated Press|date=September 16, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=September 19, 2017|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=September 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919005608/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/sep/15/cleveland-indians-win-streak-ends-royals|url-status=live}}</ref> The team clinched the Central Division pennant on September 26, their eighth division title overall and first since 2007, as well as returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. They finished the regular season at 94–67, marking their fourth straight winning season, a feat not accomplished since the 1990s and early 2000s.

The Indians began the 2016 postseason by sweeping the [[2016 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] in the best-of-five [[2016 American League Division Series|American League Division Series]], then defeated the Blue Jays in five games in the [[2016 American League Championship Series]] to claim their sixth American League pennant and advance to the [[2016 World Series|World Series]] against the [[2016 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]]. It marked the first appearance for the Indians in the World Series since 1997 and first for the Cubs since 1945. The Indians took a 3–1 series lead following a victory in Game 4 at [[Wrigley Field]], but the Cubs rallied to take the final three games and won the series 4 games to 3. The Indians' 2016 success led to Francona winning his second AL Manager of the Year Award with the club.

From August 24 through September 15 during the 2017 season, the Indians set a new American League record by winning 22 games in a row.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/here-are-22-stats-and-facts-about-the-indians-record-22-game-winning-streak |title=22 stats & facts about the Indians' 22 game winning streak – CBS Sports.com |date=September 16, 2017 |access-date=September 27, 2017 |archive-date=September 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928145924/https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/here-are-22-stats-and-facts-about-the-indians-record-22-game-winning-streak/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On September 28, the Indians won their 100th game of the season, marking only the third time in history the team has reached that milestone. They finished the regular season with 102 wins, second-most in team history (behind 1954's 111 win team). The Indians earned the AL Central title for the second consecutive year, along with home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs, but they lost the [[2017 ALDS]] to the [[2017 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] 3–2 after being up 2–0.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2017/10/cleveland_indians_2017_a_great.html|title=Cleveland Indians 2017: A great regular season that turned oh so bad in the postseason|work=cleveland.com|access-date=January 21, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=January 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122072124/http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2017/10/cleveland_indians_2017_a_great.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2018, the Indians won their third consecutive AL Central crown with a 91–71 record, but were swept in the [[2018 American League Division Series]] by the [[2018 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]], who outscored Cleveland 21–6. In 2019, despite a two-game improvement, the Indians missed the playoffs as they trailed three games behind the [[2019 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]] for the second AL Wild Card berth. During the 2020 season (shortened to 60 games because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]), the Indians were 35–25, finishing second behind the [[Minnesota Twins]] in the AL Central, but qualified for the expanded playoffs. In the best-of-three [[2020 MLB playoffs|AL Wild Card Series]], the Indians were swept by the [[2020 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]], ending their season.

In February 2025, [[Larry Dolan|Larry J. Dolan]], who owned the team since the year 2000 and served as the longest owner in the history of the Cleveland franchise, died.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/guardians-owner-dolan-dies-obit-428005e9ad5b435aa41127547a4a7e2a|title=Cleveland Guardians owner Lawrence J. Dolan dies at 94|publisher=Associated Press|date=February 24, 2025|accessdate=February 25, 2025}}</ref> His son [[Paul Dolan (baseball)|Paul]], who is listed as the team's "Owner/CEO/Chairman," has held ownership duties over the team since 2013, and is also the only of Larry J. Dolan's children who has held major leadership roles over the Guardians.<ref name=dolaninheritance>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/larry-dolan-dies|title=Guardians owner Larry Dolan, a true fan at heart, dies at 94|first=Mandy|last=Bell|work=MLB.com|date=February 24, 2025|accessdate=February 25, 2025}}</ref>

====Guardians rebranding====
[[File:Stephen Vogt (53479720675).jpg|thumb|Current manager [[Stephen Vogt]]]]
On December 18, 2020, the team announced that the Indians name and logo would be dropped after the 2021 season, later revealing the replacement to be the Guardians.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hanna|first1=Jason|last2=De La Fuente|first2=Homero|last3=Dotson|first3=|title=Cleveland Indians changing name to Cleveland Guardians|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/23/us/cleveland-major-league-baseball-name/index.html|website=[[CNN]]|date=July 23, 2021|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723174915/https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/23/us/cleveland-major-league-baseball-name/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="NYTimesDropTeamname" /><ref name="ClevelandGuardians"/><ref name="Cleveland Indians choose Guardians"/> In their first season as the Guardians, the team won the 2022 AL Central Division crown, marking the 11th division title in franchise history. In the best-of-three [[2022 American League Wild Card Series|AL Wild Card Series]], the Guardians won the series against the [[2022 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]] 2–0, to advance to the [[2022 American League Division Series|AL Division Series]]. The Guardians lost the series to the [[2022 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] 3–2, ending their season. In June 2022, sports investor [[David Blitzer]] bought a 25% stake in the franchise with an option to acquire controlling interest in 2028.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blitzer purchases 25% stake in Guardians |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/david-blitzer-guardians-minority-owner |access-date=June 27, 2022 |website=MLB.com |language=en |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627161908/https://www.mlb.com/news/david-blitzer-guardians-minority-owner |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Noga |first=Joe |date=June 27, 2022 |title=Cleveland Guardians reach agreement with David Blitzer-led investment group for minority stake in club |url=https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2022/06/cleveland-guardians-reach-agreement-with-david-blitzer-led-investment-group-for-minority-stake-in-club.html |access-date=June 27, 2022 |website=Cleveland.com |language=en |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627162250/https://www.cleveland.com/guardians/2022/06/cleveland-guardians-reach-agreement-with-david-blitzer-led-investment-group-for-minority-stake-in-club.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following Francona's retirement at the end of the 2023 season, the Guardians named [[Stephen Vogt]] as their new manager on November 6, 2023. Vogt would lead the Guardians to a bounce-back season, winning the AL Central with a 92–69 record. The Guardians would beat their AL Central rival the [[Detroit Tigers]] in the AL Division Series in five games, but would lose to the [[New York Yankees]] in the AL Pennant in five games.