Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona looks on during spring training workouts last February. Francona recently underwent surgery for a staph infection in his toe and will be on crutches for several weeks. Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

CLEVELAND — Indians Manager Terry Francona is recovering from another health scare.

After missing most of last season with medical issues, Francona recently underwent surgery to remove a staph infection in his left big toe, the latest medical setback for the two-time World Series winner.

Francona, 61, spent 10 days in the hospital after doctors excised the infection. Francona, who only managed 14 games for Cleveland last season because of poor health, will be on antibiotics for several more weeks and is hobbling around training camp in crutches.

“I’m in a boot. I wasn’t all that mobile to begin with, so it’s not necessarily really killing my mobility,” Francona joked on a Zoom call from Goodyear, Arizona. “It’s more a pain in the neck.”

Francona had been feeling better and working out after a personally rough 2020 when he developed gout in December. He had been exercising regularly and playing golf before the pain in his foot became too much.

He returned to Ohio and went to the Cleveland Clinic, where he had been admitted several times last year to address a gastrointestinal problem as well as blood-clotting issues. Doctors then discovered the staph infection, which can be very serious.

“I still have my toe,” said Francona, entering his ninth season with the Indians. “They just went in and took out some of the bone that was infected and they replaced that with some cement. I guess the cement oozes like antibiotics and I’m also getting the IV antibiotics.

“After another three weeks, I think it’s March 7, I’ll be done with the antibiotics, I’ll be able to start getting off of the crutches a little bit and then they’ll see how I’m doing as far as, did the staph go away completely, and they’ll look at it again.”

Francona is getting the antibiotics through an IV in his right arm. He cracked that for the foreseeable future pitching coach Carl Willis will have to make any mound visits in spring games.

“I’m OK,” he said. “I’m not moving really good, but we’ll make due.”

For Francona, last season was personally “awful.”

He been dealing with stomach problems for months, but when they worsened in August, he was forced to step aside. First-base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. took over managing duties for Francona, who underwent several surgeries and ended up in intensive care when his blood wouldn’t clot properly.

Francona, who won two titles in 2004 and 2007 with the Boston Red Sox, contemplated retirement but was determined to come back in 2021.

Francona said his medical issues from last year are “really good.”

On Thursday, Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said he never considered that Francona might not be back this season.

“The thing that’s always and will continue to be most important for me is Tito’s overall health and well-being, physically and mentally,” Antonetti said. “And to the extent him performing his job got in the way of that, it would warrant a conversation. But I think we have tried to work with Tito to understand where he is physically and how do we help him do what he loves doing and that’s manage this baseball team.

“And I know he is beyond excited to get going and get going on this season. He’s in a good frame of mind.”

YANKEES: Brett Gardner is returning for a 14th season.

The 37-year outfielder agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

JOHNNY DAMON, the former Red Sox star and two-time World Series champion, was arrested Friday in Windermere, Florida, along with his wife, accused of resisting police during a traffic stop for suspected DUI, according the the Orlando Sentinel.

According to an arrest report, Damon was pulled over by a Windermere Police Department officer who saw his black Lincoln SUV swerving on Conroy Windermere Road, before striking a curb and a guardrail. Damon later failed field-sobriety tests, the report said. The traffic stop occurred about 1:30 a.m.

According to the New York Daily News, Damon registered at least a 0.20 on a blood alcohol test. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.

Also according to TMZ, Damon’s wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon “was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.”

METS: The Mets made a late addition to their starting rotation, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract with right-hander Taijuan Walker, a person familiar with the negotiations said.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

The 28-year-old joins a rotation headed by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.

Walker’s agreement was first reported by SNY.

New York has displayed a willingness to spend under new owner Steven Cohen, retaining Marcus Stroman with an $18.9 million qualifying offer and acquiring Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland in a trade along with All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor for a rotation also projected to include David Peterson.

CUBS: Outfielder Ian Happ won baseball’s final salary arbitration case this year and will get a raise from $624,000 to $4.1 million.

PIRATES: Infielder Todd Frazier agreed to a minor league deal with Pittsburgh that includes an invitation to big league spring training.

BREWERS: Lew Krausse, who pitched 12 years in the major leagues and started the first game in Milwaukee Brewers history, has died. He was 77.

Chad Krausse, Lew’s youngest son, said his father died Tuesday of complications from cancer while in hospice care in Kansas City.

Krausse was 68-91 with 21 saves and a 4.00 ERA during a big league career that began in 1961 and ended in 1974. He pitched the first three innings and took the loss when the Brewers fell to the California Angels on April 7, 1970.

The expansion franchise originally known as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers the following year.

Krausse made his major league debut in 1961 at age 18 and went 2-5 with a 4.85 ERA for the Kansas City Athletics. He returned to the majors for good in 1964 with the A’s.

MARLINS: Right-hander Edward Cabrera, one of Maine’s top prospects, will be sidelined indefinitely because of an inflamed nerve in his right biceps.

The team became aware of the injury earlier this winter, Manager Don Mattingly said. Cabrera is with the Marlins at their spring training complex but isn’t throwing.

“This is something we have followed,” Mattingly said. “You’re always disappointed when anything sets a guy back a little bit, but he is already showing improvement and still able to do a lot of things. We feel like we’ll see him at some point this year.”

Cabrera, 22, was expected to contend for a spot in the rotation. He went 9-4 with a 2.23 ERA at Class A and Double-A in 2019. His major league debut might have taken place last year, but a sore shoulder sidelined him for several weeks.