| Indianapolis Indians | |||||
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| Minor league affiliations | |||||
| Class | Triple-A (1946–present) | ||||
| Previous classes | |||||
| League | International League (1998–present) | ||||
| Division | West Division | ||||
Previous leagues |
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| Major league affiliations | |||||
| Team | Pittsburgh Pirates (2005–present) | ||||
| Previous teams |
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| Minor league titles | |||||
| Class titles(7) |
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| League titles(14) |
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| Division titles(13) |
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| Wild card berths(1) |
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| Team data | |||||
| Name | Indianapolis Indians (1902–present) | ||||
| Colors | Navy blue, scarlet, gold, white[1] | ||||
| Mascot | Rowdie[2] | ||||
| Ballpark | Victory Field (1996–present) | ||||
Previous parks |
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Owner(s)/ Operator(s) | Indians, Inc.[3] | ||||
| President | Randy Lewandowski[4] | ||||
| General manager | Randy Lewandowski[4] | ||||
| Manager | Shawn Bowman | ||||
| Media | MiLB.TV andFox Sports 1260 AM[5] | ||||
| Website | milb.com/indianapolis | ||||
TheIndianapolis Indians are aMinor League Baseball team of theInternational League (IL) and theTriple-A affiliate of thePittsburgh Pirates. They are located inIndianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games atVictory Field, which opened in 1996. The Indians previously played atOwen J. Bush Stadium from 1931 to 1996 and at two versions ofWashington Park from 1902 to 1931.
Indianapolis is the second-oldest minor league franchise in Americanprofessional baseball (after theRochester Red Wings). The team originated in 1902 as members of theAmerican Association (AA), which was anindependent league at the time but was grantedClass A status in 1903. Since then, the Indians have played at the highest level of Minor League Baseball, though the terminology has changed. Indianapolis remained in the AA until the league disbanded after the 1962 season. They were briefly members of the International League (1963) andPacific Coast League (1964–1968) before returning to the revived American Association in 1969. When the league dissolved a second time after the 1997 season, the Indians rejoined the IL in 1998. In conjunction withMajor League Baseball's restructuring of the minors in 2021, they were shifted to theTriple-A East, but this was renamed the International League in 2022.
Indianapolis has won 14 league championships. They wereAmerican Association champions twelve times (1902, 1908, 1917, 1928, 1949, 1956, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1994). The Indians have won theInternational League championship twice (1963 and 2000). They have also won twoLittle World Series (1917 and 1928), twoJunior World Series (1949 and 1956), twoTriple-A Classics (1988 and 1989), and oneTriple-A World Series (2000).
Indianapolis has been home toprofessional baseball teams since the late 19th century. The city's firstMinor League Baseball team was theIndianapolis Blues, who played in theLeague Alliance in 1877.[6] They joined themajor league ranks in 1878 as members of theNational League.[6] After a five-year hiatus, they were followed by several teams called the Indianapolis Hoosiers.The first Hoosiers played in the major leagueAmerican Association in 1884.[6]The second Hoosiers were members of the minorWestern League in 1885.[6]The third Hoosiers were part of the National League from 1887 to 1889.[6]Other minor league Hoosiers played in the Western League/minor American League in 1892 and from 1894 to 1900 and in theWestern Association in 1901.[6]
In 1902,Bill Watkins and Charles Ruschaupt established the Indianapolis Indians as charter members of a new minor leagueAmerican Association (AA).[6][7][3] The league was anindependent or "outlaw league" outside the umbrella of theNational Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.[8] The circuit was grantedClass A status, the highest level of the minors, in 1903. Since then, the Indians have remained at the top level of Minor League Baseball, though the terminology has changed: Class A (1903–1911),Double-A (1912–1945), andTriple-A (since 1946).[6] The Indians' first home ballpark wasEast Washington Park.[3]
The 1902 Indians,managed by Watkins,[9] won the firstAmerican Association championship with a 96–45 record, two games ahead of the second-placeLouisville Colonels.[10] The team was ranked as the 27thgreatest minor league baseball team of all-time by baseball historians in 2001.[11]
Ruschaupt became the principal owner in 1904, and Indianapolis began playing atWest Washington Park in 1905.[3] The Indians won their next AA pennant in 1908 with a 92–61 season, four games ahead of Louisville,[12] under managerCharlie Carr.[13] Sol Meyer and Sol Kiser purchased the team in 1913 but sold the team to James C. McGill and William G. Smith Sr. in 1914. McGill became the principal owner in 1917 and Smith in 1921.[3]
Led byJack Hendricks,[14] the 1917 Indians won a third AA title with a 90–63 season, which placed them two-and-a-half games ahead of Louisville and theSt. Paul Saints.[15] The pennant win qualified Indianapolis for theLittle World Series against the champions of theInternational League, theToronto Maple Leafs. The Indians won the best-of-seven series, 4–1.[16]
James A. Perry purchased the club in 1927.[17] He died in a plane crash two years later,[17] and his brother, Norman Perry, assumed ownership in 1929.[3] Late in the 1931 season, the team moved to Perry Stadium, which was renamed Victory Field in 1942 andBush Stadium in 1967.[3] The 1928 Indians, who were managed byBruno Betzel,[18] won a fourth AA pennant by finishing two-and-a-half games ahead of theMinneapolis Millers at 99–68.[19] They then defeated theRochester Red Wings, 5–1, in the Little World Series.[16]
From 1936 to 1946, Indianapolis qualified for the American Association playoffs on six occasions, but failed to win a championship.[20] Meanwhile,Frank E. McKinney andOwen J. "Donie" Bush purchased the team in December 1941.[17] The Indians entered into their first major league affiliation in 1939 and 1940 as the top farm club of theCincinnati Reds.[21] They returned to being an unaffiliated team from 1942 to 1945 before affiliating with theBoston Braves in 1946.[22]
Indianapolis became the Triple-A affiliate of thePittsburgh Pirates in 1947.[23] The 1948 Indians posted a 100–54 record, a franchise high,[6] but were eliminated in the playoff semifinals by St. Paul.[24] The team was ranked as the 85th greatest minor league team in a 2001 ranking.[25]Al López, who had managed the 1948 club, led the 1949 Indians back to the playoffs.[26] They defeated Minneapolis, 4–3, in the semifinals and theMilwaukee Brewers, 4–3, in the final round, to win their first playoff title and fifth AA championship.[27] In theJunior World Series, a successor to the Little World Series, Indianapolis defeated theMontreal Royals, 4–2.[16] They made one more playoff appearance as a Pirates farm club in 1950 but lost in the championship finals.[20]
TheCleveland Indians purchased the team in 1952,[3] and made them their Triple-A affiliate.[28] Over the five-year relationship, Indianapolis qualified for the playoffs three times. They lost in the semifinals in 1953, lost the 1954 finals, and won the American Association championship in 1956.[20] On the heels of a 92–62 campaign, managerKerby Farrell's Indians defeated Minneapolis, 4–3, in the semifinals before winning their sixth AA title over theDenver Bears, 4–0.[29][30] They capped off the season by sweeping Rochester, 4–0, to win the Junior World Series.[16]
Having incurred significant financial losses, Cleveland elected to sell the team after the 1955 season.[31] The Indianapolis community rallied to save the Indians by purchasing 20,182 shares of stock valued at $10 each, which allowed Indians, Inc., to purchase the club in December.[3][32] The affiliation between the major and minor league Indians remained intact until the teams parted ways after the 1956 season.[28]
Indianapolis held a three-year affiliation with theChicago White Sox from 1957 to 1959,[33] with their only winning season occurring in the final season.[6] This was followed by even shorter stints as the Triple-A affiliate of thePhiladelphia Phillies in 1960 and the Cincinnati Reds in 1961.[21][34] The 1961 team qualified for the playoffs but were ousted in the semifinals.[35] The Indians rejoined the Chicago White Sox organization in 1962 and experienced another semifinal playoff exit in the first year of the affiliation.[33][35] The American Association disbanded after the 1962 season.[7]
The Indians became members of the Triple-AInternational League (IL) in 1963 and retained their affiliation with the White Sox.[6][33] Led byRollie Hemsley,[36] the 1963 Indians clinched the Southern Division title with an 86–67 record.[37] They defeated theSyracuse Chiefs, 4–1, in the playoff semifinals before winning theInternational League championship over theAtlanta Crackers, 4–2.[37] With the addition of Indianapolis and theLittle Rock Travelers to the IL, the westernmost teams in the loop, team travel costs increased. At the 1963Winter Meetings, major league teams refused to continue paying to defray these additional costs, so Indianapolis and Little Rock were expelled from the league.[38]
ThePacific Coast League welcomed Indianapolis and Little Rock as members in 1964. Though they became the easternmost teams in the league, its two-division alignment helped to keep travel costs down.[38] The Indians continued to serve as the top farm club of the Chicago White Sox through 1967, but they were unable to return to the postseason during the affiliation.[33] They became part of the Cincinnati Reds' organization for a third time in 1968.[21]
The American Association was revived in 1969,[7] and the Indians rejoined the league as the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.[6][21] Through 1982, the team qualified for the AA playoffs on three occasions via winning Eastern Division titles. They lost the 1971 league title in a best-of-seven series to the Denver Bears, 4–3.[39] The 1974 championship series also went the full seven games with Indianapolis losing to theTulsa Oilers.[40] The 1978 team was denied a championship, losing to theOmaha Royals, 4–1.[41]George Scherger managed the 1982 Indians to a fourth Eastern Division title as a Reds affiliate with a 75–61 campaign.[42][43] They then defeated Omaha, 4–2, for the AA championship.[43]
_-_Omaha_Royals_-_1980.jpg)
Indianapolis became part of theMontreal Expos organization in 1984 in what would become one of the most successful periods in team history.[44] Though they were eliminated in the semifinals in 1984, the Indians won four consecutive American Association championships from 1986 to 1989.[20] ManagerJoe Sparks was at the helm for the first three of these titles.[45] The 1986 Indians won the division with an 80–62 record.[46] They won the AA championship versus theDenver Zephyrs, 4–3.[46] The 1987 team placed second in the division, which gave them for a playoff berth. They beat theLouisville Redbirds, 3–2, in the semifinals and then won another league championship over Denver, 4–1.[47] Sparks led the 1988 Indians to the Eastern Division title on a 89–53 season.[48] In a single round of playoffs, they defeated Omaha, 3–1, for the league crown.[48] From 1988 to 1991, American Association teams participated in interleague play with teams from the International League in a partnership called theTriple-A Alliance, and the season culminated in theTriple-A Classic, a best-of-seven postseason championship between the leagues' champions.[7] Indianapolis won the first of these against Rochester, 4–2.[16] ManagerTom Runnells' 1989 team ended the season with an 87–59 record and the Eastern Division title.[49] They defeated Omaha, 3–2, for their fourth consecutive American Association championship.[50] In the Triple-A Classic, the Indians swept theRichmond Braves, 4–0.[16]
Indianapolis affiliated with Cincinnati for the fourth time in 1993.[21] In 1994,Marc Bombard managed the team to a first-place 86–57 mark.[51] They won the semifinals over Louisville, 3–0, and bested theNashville Sounds, 3–1, for another league championship.[52] The Indians made return trips to the postseason over the next three years but suffered semifinal eliminations in 1995 and 1997 and a finals loss in 1996.[20] After 66 seasons at Bush Stadium,[53] the Indians left the ballpark for the new $20-millionVictory Field in downtown Indianapolis'White River State Park on July 11, 1996.[54]
The American Association disbanded after the 1997 season, and its teams were absorbed by the two remaining Triple-A leagues—theInternational League (IL) and Pacific Coast League. Indianapolis returned to the IL, of which they had previously been members in 1963.[55] They remained as affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds through 1999.[21]
In 2000, the team entered into a new partnership with theMilwaukee Brewers.[56]Steve Smith led the 2000 Indians to the Western Division title with an 81–63 record.[57][58] They defeated theDurham Bulls, 3–2, in the semifinals before winning the International League championship versus theScranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 3–2.[58] The Indians met theMemphis Redbirds, champions of the Pacific Coast League in theTriple-A World Series, winning 3–1.[16] Sub-.500 finishes during the next four seasons kept the team from returning to the postseason as a Brewers affiliate and prompted the team to end their affiliation with Milwaukee.[59][60]
The Indians became the Triple-A affiliate of thePittsburgh Pirates in 2005 after having previously been in their farm system in 1951.[23] They qualified for the IL playoffs with a wild card berth, advanced to the finals by defeating theBuffalo Bisons, 3–2, but lost the championship to theToledo Mud Hens, 3–0.[61] the 2016 team finished the season tied for first-place in the Western Division with Toledo. On September 5, the Indians lost a one-game playoff against the Mud Hens for the division title, 4–0, which eliminated them from postseason contention.[62] Indianapolis won back-to-back Western Division titles in 2012 and 2013 but lost in the semifinal round each time.[63][64]
At the end of the 2015 season, Indianapolis was tied with theColumbus Clippers for first. Per the league's playoff procedures, the teams were declared co-champions of the Western Division, and the Indians lost the tiebreaker to be seeded as the wild card team.[65][66] The won their semifinals series against theScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, 3–0, but lost the IL title versus Columbus Clippers, 3–2.[67] They returned to the postseason in 2017 as Western Division champions but were eliminated in the semifinals by Durham, 3–1.[68] The Indians did not qualify for the postseason from 2018 to 2019.[59] The start of the 2020 season was initially postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic before being cancelled altogether.[69][70]
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Indians were placed in theTriple-A East.[71] They also extended their Professional Development License with Pittsburgh through 2030.[72] No playoffs were held to determine a league champion; instead, the team with the best regular-season record was declared the winner.[73] Indianapolis ended the season in 11th place with a 57–62 record.[74] However, 10 games that had been postponed from the start of the season were reinserted into the schedule as a postseason tournament called the Triple-A Final Stretch in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage.[73] Indianapolis finished the tournament tied for 18th place with a 4–5 record.[75] In 2022, the Triple-A East became known as the International League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[76] After the 2025 season, the Indians unveiled a new logo set, marking their first logo change since 1996, when they still played in the American Association.[1]
| League | The team's final position in the league standings |
|---|---|
| Division | The team's final position in the divisional standings |
| GB | Games behind the team that finished in first place in the division that season |
| ‡ | Class champions (1904–present) |
| † | League champions (1902–present) |
| * | Division champions (1959–2022) |
| ^ | Postseason berth (1933–present) |
| Season | League | Regular-season | Postseason | MLB affiliate | Ref. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record | Win % | League | Division | GB | Record | Win % | Result | ||||
| 1902 † | AA | 96–45 | .681 | 1st | — | — | — | — | WonAA championship | Unaffiliated | [10] |
| 1903 | AA | 78–61 | .561 | 4th | — | 12+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [77] |
| 1904 | AA | 69–85 | .448 | 6th | — | 29+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [78] |
| 1905 | AA | 69–83 | .454 | 6th | — | 31 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [79] |
| 1906 | AA | 53–96 | .356 | 8th | — | 38+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [80] |
| 1907 | AA | 73–80 | .477 | 6th | — | 16+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [12] |
| 1908 † | AA | 92–61 | .601 | 1st | — | — | — | — | WonAA championship | Unaffiliated | [81] |
| 1909 | AA | 83–85 | .494 | 4th | — | 10 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [82] |
| 1910 | AA | 69–96 | .418 | 7th | — | 36+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [83] |
| 1911 | AA | 78–88 | .470 | 7th | — | 21+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [84] |
| 1912 | AA | 56–111 | .335 | 8th | — | 50 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [85] |
| 1913 | AA | 68–99 | .407 | 8th | — | 32 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [86] |
| 1914 | AA | 88–77 | .533 | 3rd | — | 9+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [87] |
| 1915 | AA | 81–70 | .536 | 3rd | — | 9+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [88] |
| 1916 | AA | 95–71 | .572 | 2nd | — | 5+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [89] |
| 1917 † ‡ | AA | 90–63 | .588 | 1st | — | — | 4–1 | .800 | WonAA championship WonLittle World Series vs.Toronto Maple Leafs, 4–1[16] | Unaffiliated | [15] |
| 1918[a] | AA | 41–34 | .547 | 3rd | — | 3 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [91] |
| 1919 | AA | 85–68 | .556 | 4th | — | 8+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [92] |
| 1920 | AA | 83–83 | .500 | 5th | — | 33 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [93] |
| 1921 | AA | 83–85 | .494 | 4th | — | 15 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [94] |
| 1922 | AA | 87–80 | .521 | 4th | — | 20 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [95] |
| 1923 | AA | 72–94 | .434 | 7th | — | 40 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [96] |
| 1924 | AA | 92–74 | .554 | 2nd | — | 4 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [97] |
| 1925 | AA | 92–74 | .554 | 2nd | — | 13+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [98] |
| 1926 | AA | 94–71 | .570 | 2nd | — | 10 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [99] |
| 1927 | AA | 70–98 | .417 | 6th | — | 31 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [100] |
| 1928 † ‡ | AA | 99–68 | .593 | 1st | — | — | 5–1 | .833 | WonAA championship WonLittle World Series vs.Rochester Red Wings, 5–1[16] | Unaffiliated | [19] |
| 1929 | AA | 78–89 | .467 | 4th | — | 33 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [101] |
| 1930 | AA | 60–93 | .392 | 8th | — | 33 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [102] |
| 1931 | AA | 86–80 | .518 | 3rd | — | 17+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [103] |
| 1932 | AA | 86–80 | .518 | 5th | — | 13 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [104] |
| 1933 | AA | 82–72 | .532 | 6th | — | 20 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [105] |
| 1934 | AA | 77–75 | .507 | 5th | — | 9+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [106] |
| 1935 | AA | 85–67 | .559 | 2nd | — | 5 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [107] |
| 1936 ^ | AA | 79–75 | .513 | 4th | — | 11 | 5–5 | .500 | Won semifinals vs.St. Paul Saints, 4–1 LostAA championship vs.Milwaukee Brewers, 4–1 | Unaffiliated | [108] |
| 1937 | AA | 67–85 | .441 | 6th | — | 22 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [109] |
| 1938 ^ | AA | 80–74 | .519 | 4th | — | 11+1⁄2 | 2–4 | .333 | Lost semifinals vs.Kansas City Blues, 4–2 | Unaffiliated | [110] |
| 1939 ^ | AA | 82–72 | .532 | 3rd | — | 25 | 5–5 | .500 | Won semifinals vs.Kansas City Blues, 4–1 LostAA championship vs.Louisville Colonels, 4–1 | Cincinnati Reds | [111] |
| 1940 | AA | 62–84 | .425 | 6th | — | 30 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [112] |
| 1941 | AA | 65–88 | .425 | 6th | — | 30 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [113] |
| 1942 | AA | 76–78 | .494 | 6th (tie) | — | 8+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [114] |
| 1943 ^ | AA | 85–67 | .559 | 2nd | — | 5+1⁄2 | 3–5 | .375 | Won semifinals vs.Toledo Mud Hens, 3–2 LostAA championship vs.Columbus Red Birds, 3–0 | Unaffiliated | [115] |
| 1944 | AA | 57–93 | .380 | 6th | — | 43+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Unaffiliated | [116] |
| 1945 ^ | AA | 90–63 | .588 | 2nd | — | 2+1⁄2 | 2–4 | .333 | Lost semifinals vs.St. Paul Saints, 4–2 | Unaffiliated | [117] |
| 1946 ^ | AA | 88–65 | .575 | 2nd | — | 4 | 4–7 | .364 | Won semifinals vs.Minneapolis Millers, 4–3 LostAA championship vs.Louisville Colonels, 4–0 | Boston Braves | [118] |
| 1947 | AA | 74–79 | .484 | 6th | — | 19 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [119] |
| 1948 ^ | AA | 100–54 | .649 | 1st | — | — | 2–4 | .333 | Lost semifinals vs.St. Paul Saints, 4–2 | Pittsburgh Pirates | [24] |
| 1949 ^ † ‡ | AA | 93–61 | .604 | 2nd | — | 1⁄2 | 12–8 | .600 | Won semifinals vs.Minneapolis Millers, 4–3 WonAA championship vs.Milwaukee Brewers, 4–3 WonJunior World Series vs.Montreal Royals, 4–2[16] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [27] |
| 1950 ^ | AA | 85–67 | .575 | 2nd | — | 4 | 7–4 | .636 | Won semifinals vs.St. Paul Saints, 4–0 LostAA championship vs.Columbus Red Birds, 4–3 | Pittsburgh Pirates | [120] |
| 1951 | AA | 68–84 | .447 | 7th | — | 26+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [121] |
| 1952 | AA | 75–79 | .487 | 6th | — | 26 | — | — | — | Cleveland Indians | [122] |
| 1953 ^ | AA | 82–72 | .532 | 4th | — | 8 | 2–4 | .333 | Lost semifinals vs.Kansas City Blues, 4–2 | Cleveland Indians | [123] |
| 1954 ^ | AA | 95–57 | .625 | 1st | — | — | 5–6 | .455 | Won semifinals vs.Minneapolis Millers, 4–2 LostAA championship vs.Louisville Colonels, 4–1 | Cleveland Indians | [124] |
| 1955 | AA | 67–86 | .438 | 7th | — | 24+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cleveland Indians | [125] |
| 1956 ^ † ‡ | AA | 92–62 | .597 | 1st | — | — | 12–3 | .800 | Won semifinals vs.Minneapolis Millers, 4–3 WonAA championship vs.Denver Bears, 4–0 WonJunior World Series vs.Rochester Red Wings, 4–0[16] | Cleveland Indians | [30] |
| 1957 | AA | 74–80 | .481 | 6th | — | 19 | — | — | — | Chicago White Sox | [126] |
| 1958 | AA | 72–82 | .468 | 6th | — | 18+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Chicago White Sox | [127] |
| 1959 | AA | 86–76 | .531 | 3rd | 3rd | 11 | — | — | — | Chicago White Sox | [128] |
| 1960 | AA | 65–89 | .422 | 7th | — | 23 | — | — | — | Philadelphia Phillies | [129] |
| 1961 ^ | AA | 86–64 | .573 | 1st | — | — | 1–4 | .200 | Lost semifinals vs.Houston Buffs, 4–1 | Cincinnati Reds | [130] |
| 1962 ^ | AA | 89–58 | .605 | 1st | — | — | 0–3 | .000 | Lost semifinals vs.Louisville Colonels, 3–0 | Chicago White Sox | [131] |
| 1963 * † | IL | 86–67 | .562 | 1st | 1st | — | 8–3 | .727 | Won Southern Division title Won semifinals vs.Syracuse Chiefs, 4–1 WonIL championship vs.Atlanta Crackers, 4–2 | Chicago White Sox | [37] |
| 1964 | PCL | 89–69 | .563 | 4th | 2nd | 7 | — | — | — | Chicago White Sox | [132] |
| 1965 | PCL | 70–78 | .473 | 8th (tie) | 3rd (tie) | 22+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Chicago White Sox | [133] |
| 1966 | PCL | 80–68 | .541 | 4th | 3rd | 5+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Chicago White Sox | [134] |
| 1967 | PCL | 76–71 | .517 | 5th | 2nd | 8+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Chicago White Sox | [135] |
| 1968 | PCL | 66–78 | .458 | 8th | 5th | 27 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [136] |
| 1969 | AA | 74–66 | .529 | 3rd | — | 11 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [137] |
| 1970 | AA | 71–69 | .507 | 2nd | 2nd | 3 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [138] |
| 1971 * | AA | 84–55 | .604 | 1st | 1st | — | 3–4 | .429 | Won Eastern Division title LostAA championship vs.Denver Bears, 4–3[39] | Cincinnati Reds | .[139] |
| 1972 | AA | 61–79 | .436 | 6th | 4th | 22 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [140] |
| 1973 | AA | 74–62 | .544 | 2nd | 2nd | 9 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [141] |
| 1974 * | AA | 78–57 | .578 | 1st | 1st | — | 3–4 | .429 | Won Eastern Division title LostAA championship vs.Tulsa Oilers, 4–3[40] | Cincinnati Reds | [142] |
| 1975 | AA | 71–64 | .526 | 4th | 2nd | 5+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [143] |
| 1976 | AA | 62–73 | .459 | 6th | 3rd | 15+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [144] |
| 1977 | AA | 72–64 | .529 | 2nd | 2nd | 4+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [145] |
| 1978 * | AA | 78–57 | .578 | 1st | 1st | — | 1–4 | .200 | Won Eastern Division title LostAA championship vs.Omaha Royals, 4–1[41] | Cincinnati Reds | [146] |
| 1979 | AA | 67–69 | .493 | 5th | 4th | 11 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [147] |
| 1980 | AA | 58–77 | .430 | 8th | 4th | 16+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [148] |
| 1981 | AA | 62–74 | .456 | 7th | 3rd | 11 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [149] |
| 1982 * † | AA | 75–61 | .551 | 1st | 1st | — | 4–2 | .667 | Won Eastern Division title WonAA championship vs.Omaha Royals, 4–2[43] | Cincinnati Reds | [150] |
| 1983 | AA | 64–72 | .471 | 6th (tie) | 3rd | 14+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [151] |
| 1984 ^ | AA | 91–63 | .591 | 1st | — | — | 2–4 | .333 | Lost semifinals vs.Louisville Redbirds, 4–2[152] | Montreal Expos | [153] |
| 1985 | AA | 61–81 | .430 | 8th | 4th | 13 | — | — | — | Montreal Expos | [154] |
| 1986 * † | AA | 80–62 | .563 | 1st | 1st | — | 4–3 | .571 | Won Eastern Division title WonAA championship vs.Denver Zephyrs, 4–3[46] | Montreal Expos | [155] |
| 1987 ^ † | AA | 74–64 | .536 | 3rd | — | 4 | 7–3 | .700 | Won semifinals vs.Louisville Redbirds, 3–2 WonAA championship vs.Denver Zephyrs, 4–1[47] | Montreal Expos | [156] |
| 1988 * † ‡ | AA | 89–53 | .627 | 1st | 1st | — | 7–3 | .700 | Won Eastern Division title WonAA championship vs.Omaha Royals, 3–1[48] WonTriple-A Classic vs.Rochester Red Wings, 4–2[16] | Montreal Expos | [157] |
| 1989 * † ‡ | AA | 87–59 | .596 | 1st | 1st | — | 7–2 | .778 | Won Eastern Division title WonAA championship vs.Omaha Royals, 3–2[50] WonTriple-A Classic vs.Richmond Braves, 4–0[16] | Montreal Expos | [158] |
| 1990 | AA | 61–85 | .418 | 7th | 4th | 24+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Montreal Expos | [159] |
| 1991 | AA | 75–68 | .524 | 4th | 2nd | 6 | — | — | — | Montreal Expos | [160] |
| 1992 | AA | 83–61 | .576 | 2nd | 2nd | 4 | — | — | — | Montreal Expos | [161] |
| 1993 | AA | 66–77 | .462 | 7th | 4th | 15 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [162] |
| 1994 ^ † | AA | 86–57 | .601 | 1st | — | — | 6–1 | .857 | Won semifinals vs.Louisville Redbirds, 3–0 WonAA championship vs.Nashville Sounds, 3–1[52] | Cincinnati Reds | [163] |
| 1995 ^ | AA | 88–56 | .611 | 1st | — | — | 0–3 | .000 | Lost semifinals vs.Louisville Redbirds, 3–0[164] | Cincinnati Reds | [165] |
| 1996 ^ | AA | 78–66 | .542 | 3rd | 2nd | 6 | 4–5 | .444 | Won semifinals vs.Buffalo Bisons, 3–2[166] LostAA championship vs.Oklahoma City 89ers, 3–1[167] | Cincinnati Reds | [168] |
| 1997 ^ | AA | 85–59 | .590 | 2nd | 2nd | 2 | 2–3 | .400 | Lost semifinals vs.Buffalo Bisons, 3–2[169] | Cincinnati Reds | [170] |
| 1998 | IL | 76–67 | .531 | 6th | 2nd | 1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [171] |
| 1999 | IL | 75–69 | .521 | 7th | 2nd | 9+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Cincinnati Reds | [172] |
| 2000 * † ‡ | IL | 81–63 | .563 | 5th | 1st | — | 9–5 | .643 | Won Western Division title Won semifinals vs.Durham Bulls, 3–2 WonIL championship vs.Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 3–2[58] WonTriple-A World Series vs.Memphis Redbirds, 3–1[16] | Milwaukee Brewers | [173] |
| 2001 | IL | 66–78 | .458 | 11th | 3rd | 18 | — | — | — | Milwaukee Brewers | [174] |
| 2002 | IL | 67–76 | .469 | 9th | 3rd | 13+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Milwaukee Brewers | [175] |
| 2003 | IL | 64–78 | .451 | 12th | 4th | 14+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Milwaukee Brewers | [176] |
| 2004 | IL | 66–78 | .458 | 11th (tie) | 3rd | 14 | — | — | — | Milwaukee Brewers | [177] |
| 2005 ^ | IL | 78–66 | .542 | 4th | 2nd | 11 | 3–5 | .375 | Won wild card berth Won semifinals vs.Buffalo Bisons, 3–2 LostIL championship vs.Toledo Mud Hens, 3–0[61] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [178] |
| 2006 ^ | IL | 76–66 | .535 | 4th (tie) | 1st (tie) | — | 0–1 | .000 | Lost Western Division title vs.Toledo Mud Hens, 1–0[b] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [179] |
| 2007 | IL | 70–73 | .490 | 8th | 3rd | 12 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [180] |
| 2008 | IL | 68–76 | .472 | 9th | 4th | 20 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [181] |
| 2009 | IL | 70–73 | .490 | 9th | 3rd | 14+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [182] |
| 2010 | IL | 71–73 | .493 | 8th | 3rd | 8+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [183] |
| 2011 | IL | 76–68 | .528 | 6th | 2nd | 12 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [184] |
| 2012 * | IL | 89–55 | .618 | 1st | 1st | — | 1–3 | .250 | Won Western Division title Lost semifinals vs.Charlotte Knights, 3–1[63] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [185] |
| 2013 * | IL | 80–64 | .556 | 3rd | 1st | — | 0–3 | .000 | Won Western Division title Lost semifinals vs.Durham Bulls, 3–0[64] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [186] |
| 2014 | IL | 73–71 | .507 | 7th | 2nd | 6 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [187] |
| 2015 * | IL | 83–61 | .576 | 1st (tie) | 1st (tie) | — | 5–3 | .625 | Won Western Division title[c] Won semifinals vs.Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, 3–0 LostIL championship vs.Columbus Clippers, 3–2[67] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [188] |
| 2016 | IL | 70–74 | .486 | 7th | 3rd | 12 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [189] |
| 2017 * | IL | 79–63 | .556 | 5th | 1st | — | 1–3 | .250 | Won Western Division title Lost semifinals vs.Durham Bulls, 3–1[68] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [190] |
| 2018 | IL | 73–67 | .521 | 5th (tie) | 2nd (tie) | 1⁄2 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [191] |
| 2019 | IL | 66–74 | .471 | 9th (tie) | 2nd (tie) | 15 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [192] |
| 2020 | IL | Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)[70] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [193] | |||||||
| 2021 | AAAE | 57–62 | .479 | 11th | 4th | 11+1⁄2 | 4–5 | .444 | Lost series vs.Omaha Storm Chasers, 2–3[194] Tied series vs.Nashville Sounds, 2–2[d][194] Placed 18th (tie) in the Triple-A Final Stretch[75] | Pittsburgh Pirates | [74] |
| 2022 | IL | 74–75 | .497 | 10th (tie) | 4th (tie) | 17 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [195] |
| 2023 | IL | 70–78 | .473 | 12th (tie) | 6th (tie) | 14 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [196] |
| 2024 | IL | 77–70 | .524 | 6th | 4th | 11+1⁄2 | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [197] |
| 2025 | IL | 87–62 | .584 | 4th | 1st | — | — | — | — | Pittsburgh Pirates | [198] |
| Totals | — | 9,428–8,862 | .515 | — | — | — | 152–140 | .521 | — | — | — |
| Players | Coaches/Other |
|---|---|
Pitchers
| Manager Coaches
|
The franchise has been awarded these honors by Minor League Baseball.
| Award | Season | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| John H. Johnson President's Award | 1988 | [199] |
Eighteen players and nine managers won league awards in recognition for their performance with Indianapolis in the American Association.[200]
One player won a league award in recognition for his performance with Indianapolis in the Pacific Coast League.[201]
| Award | Recipient | Season | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | Duane Josephson | 1966 | [201] |
Seven players have won league awards in recognition for their performance with Indianapolis in the International League.[202]
| Award | Recipient | Season | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | Don Buford | 1963 | [202] |
| Most Valuable Player | Roberto Petagine | 1998 | [202] |
| Most Valuable Pitcher | Fritz Ackley | 1963 | [202] |
| Most Valuable Pitcher | Ben Hendrickson | 2004 | [202] |
| Most Valuable Pitcher | Zach Duke | 2005 | [202] |
| Most Valuable Pitcher | Steven Brault | 2017 | [202] |
| Most Valuable Pitcher | Mitch Keller | 2019 | [202] |
| Rookie of the Year | Don Buford | 1963 | [202] |
Thirteen former Indians have been elected to theNational Baseball Hall of Fame based on their performance in or contributions to Major League Baseball.[203]
| Name | Season(s) | Position | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Appling | 1962 | Manager | 1964 | [204] |
| Mordecai Brown | 1919 | Pitcher | 1949 | [205] |
| Gabby Hartnett | 1942 | Catcher /Manager | 1955 | [206] |
| Randy Johnson | 1988–1989 | Pitcher | 2015 | [207] |
| Harmon Killebrew | 1958 | Third baseman | 1984 | [208] |
| Nap Lajoie | 1918 | First baseman /Manager | 1937 | [209] |
| Al López | 1948 / 1948–1950 | Catcher /Manager | 1977 | [210] |
| Rube Marquard | 1908 | Pitcher | 1971 | [211] |
| Joe McCarthy | 1911 | Third baseman | 1957 | [212] |
| Minnie Miñoso | 1964 | Outfielder | 2022 | [213] |
| Ray Schalk | 1938–1939 | Manager | 1955 | [214] |
| Bob Uecker (Ford C. Frick Award recipient) | 1960 | Catcher | 2003 | [215] |
| Larry Walker | 1989 | Outfielder | 2020 | [216] |
Howard Kellman is the long-standing "Voice of the Tribe", calling play-by-play for all but two seasons (1975 and 1980) since 1974.[217] All Indians home and road games are broadcast onWNDE Fox Sports 1260 AM.[5] Live audio broadcasts are also available online through the team's website and the MiLB First Pitch app.[5] Some home games can be viewed onWTTV.2 The Dot,WISH-TV 8, and MyINDY-TV 23.[5] All home and road games can be viewed through theMiLB.TV subscription feature of the official website of Minor League Baseball with WNDE's radio call synced to television.[218]
In July 2020, a year before Major League Baseball's similarly namedCleveland Indians changed their name to the "Guardians" in 2021 (which took effect in the 2022 MLB season), Indianapolis management said it would form a committee to determine whether a change was necessary, based on dialogue with local organizations and community members.[219] By the time Cleveland changed their name in July 2021, Indianapolis announced that they had no immediate plans for a name change. Although they acknowledged that, when the team was initially formed, the name was a play on Indianapolis itself, the moniker had evolved to include more Native American references in their logo and marketing. Meanwhile, the primary newspaper covering the team, theIndianapolis Star, started to report stories and results about the team using only the city's name, without the supposedly controversial nickname.[220] In addition, Carolina Castoreno-Santana, executive director of the American Indian Center of Indiana, said the Indianapolis Indians should change their name, arguing that the indigenous people were "overwhelmingly" in favor of changing the name.[221] In February 2023, it was announced that the Indianapolis Indians would retain their long-held nickname and partner with local Indian tribes (theMiami Nation of Indiana).[222] “We are grateful to the Indianapolis Indians for the opportunity to share our story with Hoosiers throughout central Indiana,” said Brian Buchanan, chief of the Miami Nation of Indians. “When the history of Indiana is studied, the major influence of Native American people is seen in the names of Indiana cities, state parks, rivers, food, celebrations and other cultural points of interest.”[223]
Specific
General
