CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona said no one in the Cleveland organization “covered up” for former pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who is under investigation by Major League Baseball following allegations of sexual harassment.
In a story Tuesday, The Athletic reported that 12 current and former Indians employees have come forward in the last month to say the Indians were aware of Callaway’s inappropriate behaviour while he was their pitching coach from 2013-17.
“Nobody’s ever deliberately covered up for anybody, I can tell you that,” Francona said on a Zoom call from the team’s spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona.
Francona was asked if he was troubled by the report.
“I have never worked in a place where I have more respect for people than here,” said the two-time World Series winner, starting his ninth season with Cleveland. “And I’ve been very fortunate to work for some wonderful people. I believe that in my heart.
“I don’t think today is the day to go into details, things like that. I do hope there is a day, because I think it would be good, and I think it’s necessary,” he said.
Francona said the Indians plan to release a statement further addressing the matter.
Last month, Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said he wasn’t aware of Callaway’s behaviour until he read about it in a story by The Athletic, which detailed Callaway’s pursuit of women over a five-year period with three teams.
Callaway was Cleveland’s pitching coach from 2013-17 before he was hired to manage the New York Mets. He’s currently suspended as the Los Angeles Angels pitching coach, pending the MLB inquiry.
