1997 Cleveland Indians season

The 1997 Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Indians making their second World Series appearance in three years. The Indians finished in first place in the American League Central Division and hosted the 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Offseason

 * November 13, 1996: Matt Williams was traded by the San Francisco Giants with a player to be named later to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later, Jeff Kent, Julián Tavárez, and José Vizcaíno. The Cleveland Indians sent Joe Roa (December 16, 1996) to the San Francisco Giants to complete the trade.
 * December 10, 1996: Eric Plunk was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * December 13, 1996: Kevin Mitchell signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * December 16, 1996: Trenidad Hubbard was sent by the San Francisco Giants to the Cleveland Indians to complete an earlier deal made on November 13, 1996.
 * December 18, 1996: Chad Curtis was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * December 19, 1996: Les Norman was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * December 28, 1996: Tony Fernandez was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * January 1, 1997: Casey Candaele was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * January 31, 1997: Greg Cadaret was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.

Regular season

 * The season started with several new faces. The Indians acquired home run hitter Matt Williams. On March 25, 1997, the club traded All-Star Kenny Lofton and pitcher Alan Embree to the Atlanta Braves for Marquis Grissom and David Justice.
 * June 16 – The first interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians took place at Jacobs Field. The rivalry would be known as the Battle of Ohio. The Reds won the game by a score of 4-1.

Notable transactions

 * April 21, 1997: Ryan Thompson signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * May 20, 1997: Torey Lovullo was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * June 3, 1997: Kevin Mitchell was released by the Cleveland Indians.
 * June 5, 1997: Ryan Thompson was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jeff Manto.
 * June 9, 1997: Dave Weathers was traded by the New York Yankees to the Cleveland Indians for Chad Curtis.
 * July 3, 1997: Greg Cadaret was released by the Cleveland Indians.
 * July 25, 1997: Pat Listach was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
 * July 31, 1997: John Smiley was traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Jeff Branson to the Cleveland Indians for Jim Crowell, Danny Graves, Damian Jackson, and Scott Winchester.
 * July 31, 1997: Jeff Juden was traded by the Montreal Expos to the Cleveland Indians for Steve Kline.
 * August 13, 1997: Julio Franco was released by the Cleveland Indians.

Game log
Bold = Indians team member''
 * - style="text-align:center;"
 * ''Legend:      = Win       = Loss       = Postponement

All-Star game
The 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 68th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL). There were no members of the Indians in the starting lineup although three Indians (Sandy Alomar Jr., Jim Thome, and David Justice) were named to the team. The game was held on July 8, 1997, and the first pitch was thrown by former Indian Larry Doby. The American League were victorious 3 – 1, with the go ahead HR coming courtesy Alomar Jr.

Starters by position
''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Other batters
''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Game 1
September 30, Yankee Stadium

Game 2
October 2, Yankee Stadium

Game 3
October 4, Jacobs Field

Game 4
October 5, Jacobs Field

Game 5
October 6, Jacobs Field

Game 1
October 8, Camden Yards

Game 2
October 9, Camden Yards

Game 3
October 11, Jacobs Field

Game 4
October 12, Jacobs Field

Game 5
October 13, Jacobs Field

Game 6
October 15, Camden Yards

Game 1
October 18, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Game 2
October 19, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Game 3
October 21, 1997, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Game 4
October 22, 1997, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Game 5
October 23, 1997, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Game 6
October 25, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Game 7
October 26, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Award winners

 * Marquis Grissom, Outfield, ALCS MVP

All-Star Game
 * Sandy Alomar Jr., catcher, reserve
 * Jim Thome, first baseman, reserve
 * David Justice, Outfield, elected to start, but was unable to play due to an injury.