Guardians manager Terry Francona returns to team after COVID absence

Bench coach DeMarlo Hale and hitting analyst Justin Toole will also rejoin the team after clearing protocol as well. 

Francona and Hale tested positive last week while the Guardians were traveling in Chicago. Both coaches reportedly returned to Ohio by bus while the rest of the team continued the road trip.

This is not Francona's first health-related absence from the team. The 63-year-old has missed time because of gastrointestinal issues and had toe surgery last season that put him in a walking boot for several months.

Cleveland isn't out of the woods yet with regard to COVID as the team still has personnel sidelined from two different outbreaks. First baseman Josh Naylor remains out after testing positive, as well as first-base coach Sandy Alomar and third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh.  

Cleveland wraps up a two-game interleague series with the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday and look to snap a five-game losing streak. The Guardians are in third place in the AL Central after going 5-5 in their last 10, putting them three-and-a-half games back of the division-leading Minnesota Twins.