The 2006 Cleveland Indians season was the 106th season for the franchise. It began with the Cleveland Indians attempting to win the American League Central and make the playoffs. The Indians finished with a mediocre 78–84 record and missed the playoffs. It was the final season before Progressive bought the naming rights to then-Jacobs Field.
Offseason December 7, 2005: Paul Byrd was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.Paul Byrd Statistics Baseball-Reference.com January 6, 2006: Todd Hollandsworth was signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians.
Regular season On September 2, 2006, Kevin Kouzmanoff became the 23rd Major Leaguer to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat, the 12th American Leaguer to do so, and the second of 2006 (along with Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals). He was only the third player to have the home run be a grand slam. Kouzmanoff is only one of two players in Major League Baseball history to hit a grand slam on his first pitch ever seen in the Major Leagues, along with Daniel Nava. The pitcher who gave up the hit was Edinson Vólquez.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Transactions April 7, 2006: Brandon Phillips was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later. The Cincinnati Reds sent Jeff Stevens (minors) (June 13, 2006) to the Cleveland Indians to complete the trade. July 20, 2006: Bob Wickman was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Atlanta Braves for Max Ramirez (minors).Bob Wickman Statistics Baseball-Reference.com July 26, 2006: Ben Broussard was traded by the Cleveland Indians with cash to the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later and Shin-Soo Choo. The Seattle Mariners sent Shawn Nottingham (minors) (August 24, 2006) to the Cleveland Indians to complete the trade.Ben Broussard Statistics Baseball-Reference.com August 9, 2006: Todd Hollandsworth was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds from the Cleveland Indians.
Roster 2006 Cleveland Indians Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches (third base) (bullpen) (first base) (hitting) (bench) (pitching)
Game log
|- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 1 || April 2 || @ White Sox || 10–4 || McCarthy (1–0) || Cabrera (0–1) || || 38,802 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 || April 4 || @ White Sox || 8–2 || Westbrook (1–0) || García (0–1) || || 37,591 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 3 || April 5 || @ White Sox || 4–3 || Graves (1–0) || Cotts (0–1) || Wickman (1) || 33,586 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 || April 7 || Twins || 11–6 || Byrd (1–0) || Lohse (0–1) || || 42,445 || 3–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 || April 8 || Twins || 3–0 || Johnson (1–0) || Baker (0–1) || Wickman (2) || 25,107 || 4–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 || April 9 || Twins || 3–2 || Westbrook (2–0) || Santana (0–2) || Wickman (3) || 23,311 || 5–1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 7 || April 11 || Mariners || 9–5 || Lee (1–0) || Washburn (1–1) || || 17,559 || 6–1 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 8 || April 12 || Mariners || 11–9 || Woods (1–0) || Byrd (1–1) || Guardado (1) || 14,773 || 6–2 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 9 || April 13 || Mariners || 9–5 || Mateo (1–0) || Sauerbeck (0–1) || Putz (2) || 24,638 || 6–3 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 10 || April 14 || @ Tigers || 5–1 || Rogers (2–1) || Westbrook (2–1) || || 27,358 || 6–4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 11 || April 15 || @ Tigers || 7–2 || Carmona (1–0) || Bonderman (1–2) || || 30,107 || 7–4 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 12 || April 16 || @ Tigers || 1–0 || Maroth (2–0) || Lee (1–1) || Rodney (3) || 14,303 || 7–5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 13 || April 17 || @ Tigers || 10–2 || Byrd (2–1) || Robertson (1–2) || || 19,126 || 8–5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 14 || April 18 || @ Orioles || 15–1 || Johnson (2–0) || Chen (0–2) || || 17,354 || 9–5 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 15 || April 19 || @ Orioles || 18–9 || Halama (1–0) || Westbrook (2–2) || || 19,510 || 9–6 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 16 || April 20 || @ Orioles || 9–4 || Bédard (4–0) || Carmona (1–1) || || 22,031 || 9–7 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 17 || April 21 || @ Royals || 6–5 || Graves (2–0) || Dessens (1–1) || Wickman (4) || 16,791 || 10–7 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 18 || April 22 || @ Royals || 11–5 || Wood (2–0) || Byrd (2–2) || || 19,645 || 10–8 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 19 || April 23 || @ Royals || 5–1 || Affeldt (1–2) || Johnson (2–1) || || 12,194 || 10–9 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 20 || April 25 || Red Sox || 8–6 || Foulke (1–1) || Mota (0–1) || Papelbon (9) || 18,438 || 10–110 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 || April 26 || Red Sox || 7–1 || Lee (2–1) || Wakefield (1–4) || || 21,575 || 11–10 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 22 || April 27 || Red Sox || 15–3 || Byrd (3–2) || Beckett (3–1) || || 26,952 || 12–10 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 23 || April 28 || Rangers || 7–6 || Davis (1–0) || Bauer (1–1) || Wickman (5) || 22,106 ||13–10 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 24 || April 29 || Rangers || 7–5 || Millwood (2–2) || Carmona (1–2) || Otsuka (1) || 37,496 || 13–11 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 25 || April 30 || Rangers || 8–4 || Padilla (3–1) || Davis (1–1) || || 22,989 || 13–12
|- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 26 || May 1 || White Sox || 8–6 || Vázquez (3–1) || Lee (2–2) || Jenks (8) || 17,845 || 13–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 || May 2 || White Sox || 7–1 || Sabathia (1–0) || Buehrle (3–2) || || 22,630 || 14–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 28 || May 3 || @ Athletics || 14–3 || Byrd (4–2) || Haren (1–3) || || 18,248 || 15–13 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 29 || May 4 || @ Athletics || 12–4 || Saarloos (1–0) || Johnson (2–2) || Gaudin (1) || 14,695 || 15–14 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 || May 5 || @ Mariners || 9–4 || Westbrook (3–2) || Soriano (0–1) || || 32,998 || 16–14 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 31 || May 6 || @ Mariners || 4–1 || Piñeiro (4–2) || Lee (2–3) || Putz (3) || 28,672 || 16–15 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 32 || May 7 || @ Mariners || 2–0 || Sabathia (2–0) || Washburn (2–5) || Wickman (6) || 35,562 || 17–15 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 33 || May 8 || @ Royals || 4–3 || Wood (3–0) || Byrd (4–3) || Burgos (5) || 9,029 || 17–16 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 34 || May 9 || @ Royals || 10–7 || Peralta (1–0) || Graves (2–1) || || 14,784 || 17–17 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 35 || May 10 || @ Royals || 10–8 || Burgos (1–0) || Mota (0–2) || || 24,471 || 17–18 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 36 || May 12 || Tigers || 5–4 || Rogers (6–2) || Lee (2–4) || Jones (8) || 23,588 || 17–19 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 37 || May 13 || Tigers || 3–0 || Bonderman (4–2) || Sabathia (2–1) || Jones (9) || 24,051 || 17–20 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 38 || May 14 || Tigers || 3–2 || Maroth (5–2) || Johnson (2–3) || Rodney (6) || 21,875 || 17–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 39 || May 16 || Royals || 6–4 || Davis (2–1) || Burgos (1–2) || || 15,399 || 18–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 40 || May 17 || Royals || 5–0 || Westbrook (4–2) || Affeldt (2–3) || || 15,064 || 19–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 41 || May 18 || Royals || 6–5 || Lee (3–4) || Hernández (1–3) || Wickman (7) || 24,184 || 20–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 42 || May 19 || Pirates || 4–1 || Sabathia (3–1) || Duke (2–5) || || 32,499 || 21–21 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 43 || May 20 || Pirates || 9–6 || Snell (3–3) || Johnson (2–4) || Gonzalez (6) || 30,799 || 21–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 || May 21 || Pirates || 3–2 || Wickman (1–0) || Gonzalez (1–3) || || 31,589 || 22–22 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 45 || May 23 || @ Twins || 6–5 || Nathan (2–0) || Mota (0–3) || || 19,334 || 22–23 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 46 || May 24 || @ Twins || 11–0 || Sabathia (4–1) || Radke (4–6) || || 22,789 || 23–23 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 47 || May 26 || @ Tigers || 8–3 || Robertson (5–3) || Westbrook (4–3) || || 31,241 || 23–24 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 48 || May 27 || @ Tigers || 3–1 || Verlander (7–3) || Byrd (4–4) || Jones (16) || 37,102 || 23–25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 || May 28 || @ Tigers || 9–0 || Johnson (3–4) || Rogers (7–3) || || 37,908 || 24–25 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 50 || May 29 || White Sox || 11–0 || Vázquez (6–3) || Lee (3–5) || || 31,803 || 24–26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 51 || May 30 || White Sox || 4–3 || Sabathia (5–1) || Buehrle (6–3) || Wickman (8) || 20,944 || 25–26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 52 || May 31 || White Sox || 5–0 || Westbrook (5–3) || García (7–3) || || 21,671 || 26–26
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 53 || June 1 || White Sox || 12–8 || Cabrera (1–1) || Thornton (0–1) || || 20,846 || 27–26 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 54 || June 2 || Angels || 10–3 || Weaver (2–0) || Johnson (3–5) || || 22,957 || 27–27 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 55 || June 3 || Angels || 14–2 || Lee (4–5) || Escobar (5–6) || || 23,769 || 28–27 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 56 || June 4 || Angels || 14–2 || Lackey (4–3) || Sabathia (5–2) || || 19,148 || 28–28 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 57 || June 6 || Athletics || 7–6 || Zito (6–3) || Betancourt (0–1) || Street (10) || 17,340 || 28–29 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 58 || June 7 || Athletics || 11–2 || Byrd (5–4) || Blanton (5–6) || || 20,311 || 29–29 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 59 || June 8 || Athletics || 4–1 || Loaiza (1–3) || Johnson (3–6) || Street (11) || 21,099 || 29–30 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 60 || June 9 || @ White Sox || 5–4 || Thornton (1–1) || Betancourt (0–2) || Jenks (18) || 33,909 || 29–31 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 61 || June 10 || @ White Sox || 4–3 || Montero (1–0) || Wickman (1–1) || || 36,265 || 29–32 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 62 || June 11 || @ White Sox || 10–8 || Westbrook (6–3) || García (7–4) || Wickman (9) || 34,410 || 30–32 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 63 || June 13 || @ Yankees || 1–0 || Wang (7–2) || Byrd (5–5) || Rivera (13) || 50,365 || 30–33 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 64 || June 14 || @ Yankees || 6–1 || Johnson (8–5) || Johnson (3–7) || || 53,448 || 30–34 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 65 || June 15 || @ Yankees || 8–4 || Lee (5–5) || Mussina (8–3) || || 54,648 || 31–34 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 66 || June 16 || @ Brewers || 6–4 || Capuano (7–4) || Sabathia (5–3) || Turnbow (20) || 33,178 || 31–35 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 67 || June 17 || @ Brewers || 3–2 || Capellán (2–0) || Wickman (1–2) || || 42,069 || 31–36 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 68 || June 18 || @ Brewers || 6–3 || Turnbow (4–3) || Betanourt (0–3) || || 43,391 || 31–37 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 69 || June 19 || Cubs || 12–8 || Marshall (4–5) || Johnson (3–8) || || 26,769 || 31–38 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 70 || June 20 || Cubs || 4–2 || Lee (6–5) || Maddux (7–7) || Wickman (10) || 25,049 || 32–38 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 71 || June 21 || Cubs || 9–2 || Zambrano (6–3) || Sabathia (5–4) || || 27,182 || 32–39 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 72 || June 23 || Reds || 3–0 || Harang (8–5) || Westbrook (6–4) || || 32,927 || 32–40 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 73 || June 24 || Reds || 4–0 || Byrd (6–5) || Arroyo (9–4) || || 33,072 || 33–40 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 74 || June 25 || Reds || 4–2 || Ramírez (3–6) || Sowers (0–1) || Coffey (6) || 33,139 || 33–41 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 75 || June 26 || @ Cardinals || 10–3 || Lee (7–5) || Marquis (9–6) || || 44,659 || 34–41 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 76 || June 27 || @ Cardinals || 3–1 || Sabathia (6–4) || Reyes (1–2) || Wickman (11) || 44,446 || 35–41 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 77 || June 28 || @ Cardinals || 5–4 || Isringhausen (2–3) || Wickman (1–3) || || 44,628 || 35–42 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 78 || June 30 || @ Reds || 9–8 || Mercker (1–1) || Wickman (1–4) || || 34,930 || 35–43
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 79 || July 1 || @ Reds || 12–7 || Lee (8–5) || Mays (0–1) || || 40,692 || 36–43 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 80 || July 2 || @ Reds || 6–3 || Mota (1–3) || Weathers (3–3) || Wickman (12) || 36,849 || 37–43 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 81 || July 3 || Yankees || 5–2 || Sowers (1–1) || Wang (8–4) || Wickman (13) || 42,706 || 38–43 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 82 || July 4 || Yankees || 19–1 || Westbrook (7–4) || Chacón (4–3) || || 29,638 || 39–43 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 83 || July 5 || Yankees || 11–3 || Mussina (10–3) || Byrd (6–6) || || 31,265 || 39–44 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 84 || July 6 || Yankees || 10–4 || Johnson (10–7) || Lee (8–6) || || 34,982 || 39–45 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 85 || July 7 || Orioles || 9–0 || Sabathia (7–4) || Benson (9–7) || || 27,110 || 40–45 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb"