1996 Cleveland Indians season

The 1996 Cleveland Indians season was the 96th season for the franchise and the third season at Jacobs Field. For the second consecutive season, the Indians had the best record in Major League Baseball. This was the first time in franchise history that the Indians had accomplished that feat.Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 371, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, Between May 30 and August 19, the Indians hit at least one double in each of 75 games, the longest such streak in MLB since 1901.

Offseason November 9, 1995: Rubén Amaro Jr. was released by the Cleveland Indians.Ruben Amaro Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 6, 1995: Casey Candaele was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. December 7, 1995: Julio Franco was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.Julio Franco Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 14, 1995: Jack McDowell signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.Jack McDowell Statistics Baseball-Reference.com January 4, 1996: Mario Díaz was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians. March 31, 1996: Mark Clark was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the New York Mets for Reid Cornelius and Ryan Thompson.Mark Clark Statistics Baseball-Reference.com

Regular season

The Indians had a formidable offensive lineup. They led the Majors in hits (1,665), batting average (.293), on-base percentage (.369). They also struck out an MLB-low 844 times.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || April 2 || Yankees || 1–7 || Cone || Martinez (0–1) || — || 42,289 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || April 3 || Yankees || 1–5 || Pettitte || McDowell (0–1) || Nelson || 41,843 || 0–2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || April 5 || Blue Jays || 1–7 || Guzman || Hershiser (0–1) || — || 41,782 || 0–3 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 4 || April 6 || Blue Jays || 5–3 || Nagy (1–0) || Hanson || Mesa (1) || 41,852 || 1–3 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 5 || April 7 || Blue Jays || 8–3 || Martinez (1–1) || Quantrill || — || 41,689 || 2–3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 10 || @ Orioles || 2–3 (10) || Orosco || Tavarez (0–1) || — || 45,097 || 2–4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 || April 11 || @ Orioles || 4–14 || Erickson || Hershiser (0–2) || Rhodes || 43,189 || 2–5 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 8 || April 12 || @ Red Sox || 3–1 || Nagy (2–0) || Sele || Mesa (2) || 26,703 || 3–5 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 9 || April 13 || @ Red Sox || 14–2 || Martinez (2–1) || Moyer || — || 31,827 || 4–5 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 10 || April 14 || @ Red Sox || 7–6 (11) || Tavarez (1–1) || Stanton || Mesa (3) || 31,796 || 5–5 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 11 || April 15 || @ Red Sox || 8–0 || McDowell (1–1) || Wakefield || — || 32,861 || 6–5 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 12 || April 16 || @ Twins || 7–2 || Hershiser (1–2) || Radke || — || 13,103 || 7–5 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 17 || @ Twins || 8–9 || Hansell || Shuey (0–1) || Stevens || 11,276 || 7–6 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 14 || April 19 || Red Sox || 9–4 || Martinez (3–1) || Gordon || — || 40,521 || 8–6 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 15 || April 20 || Red Sox || 2–1 || McDowell (2–1) || Wakefield || Mesa (4) || 40,498 || 9–6 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 16 || April 21 || Red Sox || 11–7 || Ogea (1–0) || Pennington || — || 42,256 || 10–6 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 17 || April 22 || Orioles || 6–3 || Nagy (3–0) || Erickson || Mesa (5) || 42,236 || 11–6 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 18 || April 23 || Orioles || 9–8 || Ogea (2–0) || Mussina || Mesa (6) || 40,770 || 12–6 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 19 || April 24 || @ Yankees || 8–10 || Kamieniecki || Martinez (3–2) || — || 20,187 || 12–7 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 20 || April 25 || @ Yankees || 4–3 || Poole (1–0) || Pettitte || Mesa (7) || 18,580 || 13–7 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 21 || April 26 || @ Blue Jays || 6–3 || Hershiser (2–2) || Hanson || Mesa (8) || 30,227 || 14–7 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 27 || @ Blue Jays || 6–11 || Castillo || Nagy (3–1) || — || 40,140 || 14–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 23 || April 28 || @ Blue Jays || 17–3 || Lopez (1–0) || Viola || — || 31,143 || 15–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 24 || April 30 || White Sox || 5–3 || Martinez (4–2) || Tapani || Mesa (9) || 40,268 || 16–8

|- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 25 || May 1 || White Sox || 9–5 || McDowell (3–1) || McCaskill || Plunk (1) || 40,447 || 17–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 26 || May 2 || @ Mariners || 6–4 || Hershiser (3–2) || Wolcott || Mesa (10) || 21,711 || 18–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 27 || May 3 || @ Mariners || 5–2 || Nagy (4–1) || Hitchcock || Mesa (11) || 38,086 || 19–8 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || May 4 || @ Mariners || 1–5 || Menhart || Lopez (1–1) || — || 57,133 || 19–9 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 29 || May 5 || @ Mariners || 2–0 || Martinez (5–2) || Bosio || Mesa (12) || 56,883 || 20–9 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || May 6 || @ Athletics || 3–5 || Taylor || Assenmacher (0–1) || Mohler || 47,313 || 20–10 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 7 || @ Athletics || 4–8 || Johns || Hershiser (3–3) || — || 10,126 || 20–11 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 32 || May 8 || @ Athletics || 7–3 || Nagy (5–1) || Reyes || — || 9,288 || 21–11 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 10 || @ Angels || 8–13 || Boskie || Lopez (1–2) || — || 23,522 || 21–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 34 || May 11 || @ Angels || 6–5 || McDowell (4–1) || Sanderson || Mesa (13) || 32,102 || 22–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 35 || May 12 || @ Angels || 4–1 || Poole (2–0) || Percival || Mesa (14) || 22,768 || 23–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 36 || May 14 || Tigers || 5–1 || Nagy (6–1) || Gohr || — || 40,765 || 24–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 37 || May 15 || Tigers || 5–2 || Martinez (6–2) || Lima || Mesa (15) || 42,259 || 25–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 38 || May 16 || Tigers || 8–3 || McDowell (5–1) || Williams || — || 42,330 || 26–12 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 39 || May 17 || Rangers || 12–10 || Embree (1–0) || Heredia || Mesa (16) || 41,225 || 27–12 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 18 || Rangers || 3–6 || Oliver || Anderson (0–1) || Henneman || 40,973 || 27–13 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 41 || May 19 || Rangers || 8–5 || Nagy (7–1) || Witt || Mesa (17) || 43,299 || 28–13 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 42 || May 21 || Brewers || 6–5 || Tavarez (2–1) || Boze || — || 39,974 || 29–13 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 22 || Brewers || 8–10 || Karl || McDowell (5–2) || Fetters || 41,027 || 29–14 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 44 || May 23 || Brewers || 5–1 || Hershiser (4–3) || Miranda || — || 42,395 || 30–14 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 45 || May 24 || @ Tigers || 6–3 || Plunk (1–0) || Veres || Mesa (18) || 26,967 || 31–14 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 46 || May 25 || @ Tigers || 7–6 || Nagy (8–1) || Lewis || Mesa (19) || 41,527 || 32–14 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 47 || May 26 || @ Tigers || 5–0 || Martinez (7–2) || Williams || — || 39,056 || 33–14 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 48 || May 27 || @ Rangers || 2–3 || Pavlik || McDowell (5–3) || — || 46,521 || 33–15 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || May 28 || @ Rangers || 3–11 || Oliver || Hershiser (4–4) || — || 35,727 || 33–16 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 50 || May 29 || @ Rangers || 4–5 || Cook || Tavarez (2–2) || Henneman || 35,893 || 33–17 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 51 || May 30 || @ Brewers || 2–0 || Nagy (9–1) || Bones || Mesa (20) || 11,543 || 34–17 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 52 || May 31 || @ Brewers || 10–4 || Martinez (8–2) || McDonald || — || 24,050 || 35–17

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 53 || June 1 || @ Brewers || 1–2 || Garcia || McDowell (5–4) || Fetters || 22,004 || 35–18 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 54 || June 2 || @ Brewers || 11–6 || Poole (3–0) || Karl || — || 21,150 || 36–18 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55 || June 4 || Mariners || 7–10 || Carmona || Mesa (0–1) || Charlton || 42,179 || 36–19 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 56 || June 5 || Mariners || 13–5 || Plunk (2–0) || Milacki || — || 42,274 || 37–19 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 57 || June 6 || Mariners || 2–5 || Wells || Martinez (8–3) || Charlton || 42,236 || 37–20 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 58 || June 7 || Angels || 4–3 || McDowell (6–4) || Boskie || Mesa (21) || 42,260 || 38–20 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 59 || June 8 || Angels || 5–0 || Hershiser (5–4) || Finley || — || 42,267 || 39–20 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 60 || June 9 || Angels || 6–8 (13) || Hancock || Tavarez (2–3) || — || 42,237 || 39–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 61 || June 10 || Athletics || 5–4 || Nagy (10–1) || Johns || Mesa (22) || 42,167 || 40–21 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 62 || June 11 || Athletics || 6–5 (13) || Ogea (3–0) || Reyes || — || 42,249 || 41–21 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 63 || June 12 || Athletics || 6–9 || Montgomery || McDowell (6–5) || Mohler || 40,673 || 41–22 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 64 || June 13 || @ Yankees || 6–2 || Hershiser (6–4) || Rogers || Shuey (1) || 30,707 || 42–22 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 65 || June 14 || @ Yankees || 3–4 || Gooden || Ogea (3–1) || Wetteland || 32,580 || 42–23 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 66 || June 15 || @ Yankees || 10–3 || Nagy (11–1) || Boehringer || — || 42,032 || 43–23 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 67 || June 16 || @ Yankees || 4–5 || Pettitte || Martinez (8–4) || Wetteland || 51,180 || 43–24 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 68 || June 18 || Red Sox || 9–7 || Swindell (1–0) || Sele || Mesa (23) || 42,209 || 44–24 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 69 || June 19 || Red Sox || 11–4 || Hershiser (7–4) || Gordon || — || 42,276 || 45–24 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 70 || June 20 || Red Sox || 5–4 || Shuey (1–1) || Stanton || — || 42,306 || 46–24 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 71 || June 21 || Yankees || 7–8 (10) || Nelson || Mesa (0–2) || Wetteland || 42,176 || 46–25 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 72 || June 21 || Yankees || 3–9 || Mendoza || Tavarez (2–4) || — || 42,454 || 46–26 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 73 || June 22 || Yankees || 9–11 || Brewer || Martinez (8–5) || Wetteland || 42,461 || 46–27 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 74 || June 23 || Yankees || 5–6 || Gooden || McDowell (6–6) || Wetteland || 41,767 || 46–28 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 75 || June 25 || @ Red Sox || 4–0 || Hershiser (8–4) || Gordon || — || 33,576 || 47–28 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 76 || June 26 || @ Red Sox || 4–6 (15) || Garces || Embree (1–1) || — || 33,727 || 47–29 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 77 || June 27 || @ White Sox || 10–15 || Fernandez || Swindell (1–1) || — || 27,782 || 47–30 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 78 || June 28 || @ White Sox || 2–4 || Baldwin || Tavarez (2–5) || Hernandez || 33,136 || 47–31 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 79 || June 29 || @ White Sox || 3–2 (10) || Shuey (2–1) || Karchner || — || 43,601 || 48–31 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 80 || June 30 || @ White Sox || 4–2 || Hershiser (9–4) || Tapani || Mesa (24) || 30,351 || 49–31

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 81 || July 1 || Royals || 2–4 || Haney || Nagy (11–2) || — || 40,814 || 49–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 82 || July 2 || Royals || 3–2 || Poole (4–0) || Belcher || — || 42,283 || 50–32 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 83 || July 3 || Royals || 6–4 || Tavarez (3–5) || Magnante || Shuey (2) || 42,470 || 51–32 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 84 || July 4 || White Sox || 5–6 (10) || Karchner || Mesa (0–3) || Hernandez || 42,355 || 51–33 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 85 || July 5 || White Sox || 0–7 || Alvarez || Hershiser (9–5) || — || 42,536 || 51–34 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 86 || July 6 || White Sox || 2–3 || Karchner || Shuey (2–2) || Hernandez || 42,454 || 51–35 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 87 || July 7 || White Sox || 6–1 || Ogea (4–1) || Fernandez || Assenmacher (1) || 42,343 || 52–35 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 88 || July 11 || @ Twins || 11–7 || McDowell (7–6) || Radke || — || 16,438 || 53–35 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 89 || July 12 || @ Twins || 7–5 || Mesa (1–3) || Stevens || Shuey (3) || 18,246 || 54–35 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 90 || July 13 || @ Twins || 19–11 || Ogea (5–1) || Aguilera || — || 31,552 || 55–35 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 91 || July 14 || @ Twins || 4–5 || Guardado || Plunk (2–1) || — || 25,312 || 55–36 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 92 || July 15 || @ Royals || 3–6 || Magnante || Tavarez (3–6) || Montgomery || 22,294 || 55–37 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 93 || July 16 || @ Royals || 10–4 || McDowell (8–6) || Haney || — || 16,871 || 56–37 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 94 || July 17 || @ Royals || 2–3 || Belcher || Hershiser (9–6) || Montgomery || 19,532 || 56–38 |- bgcolor="ccffcc"