CHICAGO — Playing left field in Wrigley Field isn’t easy under normal circumstances.
Carlos Santana is about to find out what it’s like – in Game 3 of the World Series with the wind blowing out and well-oiled Cubs fans breathing down his neck.
Unable to use Santana as his designated hitter with the World Series switching to the fabled National League ballpark for the next three games, Indians Manager Terry Francona is planning to move his DH into left field on Friday night.
It’s risky, but Francona feels it’s the right choice for his club. Santana has only played four innings in left during his career, and that was in 2012 during a 14-1 loss.
“I have anxiety about it,” Francona said as he sat on the brick wall near Cleveland’s dugout Thursday night. “I don’t know how else to say it, and if he messes a ball up, I’ll take responsibility because I don’t think it’s fair to put it on him. But you try to figure out, ‘OK, what’s our best way to win?’ If we don’t play him out there, that’s the best way to have nobody second guessing me.”
Santana took some fly balls during Cleveland’s workout with bench coach Brad Mills standing nearby and offering him tips on tracking balls into the gap and chasing grounders into the corner, where he’ll have to deal with the iconic ivy that’s fading fast with winter approaching.
RANGERS: Former closer Shawn Tolleson was granted free agency after declining a minor league assignment.
The move came a day after the Rangers announced that Tolleson had cleared outright waivers and would be assigned to Triple-A Round Rock.
Tolleson was 2-2 with 11 saves and a 7.68 ERA in 37 relief appearances this year. The 28-year-old right-hander had 35 saves in 2015, and 11 more this season, but lost the closer job to Sam Dyson after blowing saves in consecutive appearances in mid-May.
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