Orel Hershiser’s Cleveland Revival: A Dodger Legend’s Second Act
CLEVELAND, OH — For Dodgers fans, Orel Hershiser’s name will always be etched in the blue-and-white mythology of 1988 — the scoreless innings streak, the bulldog tenacity, the World Series triumph. But the story of Hershiser’s career didn’t end in Los Angeles. In fact, some of the most meaningful moments of his baseball life came after he left the Dodgers, when he helped lead the Cleveland Indians to the World Series in 1995 and became a beloved figure in a new city.
This is the story of why Hershiser left the Dodgers, what drew him to Cleveland, and how he helped ignite one of the most memorable eras in Indians history.
A Difficult Goodbye
Hershiser’s 1988 season with the Dodgers is the stuff of legend: 23 wins, 15 complete games, eight shutouts, a 2.26 ERA, a Cy Young Award, and a record-setting 59 consecutive scoreless innings. He was the MVP of both the NLCS and World Series. But after shoulder reconstruction surgery in 1990 and several seasons of decline, the Dodgers made a cold, hard decision.
“I was 6–6 with a 3.79 ERA for the Dodgers in 1994, and they offered me a 50 percent pay cut,” Hershiser recalled in a 2014 interview with Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. It was a clear signal. After 12 seasons in Los Angeles, Hershiser was no longer viewed as the ace of the future — or even a vital part of the present. He had to move on.
A New Home in the Snow
Hershiser was 36 years old when he signed with the Indians on April 8, 1995. His free-agent choices came down to the Giants and Cleveland, but as he studied the Tribe’s rising roster, the decision became clear. “I looked at Cleveland’s roster and it looked like those guys would score seven runs a game,” he said. “And they had a good bullpen.”
The Indians had a plan. General Manager John Hart sold Hershiser not just on wins and stats, but on the idea that Cleveland could be special — that it could be a stage for a late-career renaissance. Hershiser appreciated the pitch: “Hart did a great sales job, and I mean that in the best way.”
Cleveland embraced him immediately — even when his first scheduled game was snowed out. “I went to my home in Westlake, and my two kids wanted to play baseball,” he said. “So there we were in the front yard, in the snow, playing baseball. Later, one of the neighbors told me they watched from the window and wondered who were these crazy people who had moved in.”
A Party at the Jake
From the moment the 1995 season began, it was clear the Cleveland Indians were something different. With a lineup that featured Albert Belle, Carlos Baerga, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, and Eddie Murray, they weren’t just good — they were electric.
“Remember 1995? That was like being on one big hot streak,” Hershiser said. “If we lost a game, we shrugged. No big deal. We’d win the next one.”
Cleveland went 100-44 in the strike-shortened season and returned to the World Series for the first time in 41 years. Hershiser was right in the middle of it. He went 16–6 with a 3.87 ERA in the regular season and then dialed up the postseason magic once again. He was 4–1 in the playoffs, including two wins over the Mariners in the ALCS — a performance that earned him the series MVP.
“The best year of my baseball life was 1988,” Hershiser told Pluto. “But the best three years that I had were in Cleveland. Those three teams, those were Hall of Fame teams. I know, we didn’t win a World Series, but what great teams. That was so much fun!”
The Rock Star Team
Cleveland in the mid-90s wasn’t just a good baseball town — it was alive with it. Hershiser, who had played on some huge stages before, was blown away by the city’s embrace.
“You’d drive around and see Wahoo signs in almost every front yard,” he said. “You’d walk into restaurants, and there were pictures of the players on the walls. I’d never quite seen anything like it. I get the chills just to think about it.”
“Every night was a sellout. Fans would stream into the park for batting practice, and our guys put on a laser show.”
He summed it up with one of the most quoted lines from that era: “We were a rock star baseball team.”
Veteran Wisdom and Clubhouse Chemistry
Hershiser’s value to the Indians wasn’t just in the box score. Along with veterans like Eddie Murray and Dennis Martinez, he helped lead a clubhouse filled with young stars who were still learning the game at its highest level.
“Manny Ramirez would follow me around like a puppy,” Hershiser said. Ramirez called him “Papi” and would pepper him with questions about opposing pitchers. “Manny was very serious about hitting. He wanted all the information he could get.”
There were moments of mentorship that didn’t show up in the stats. “One year, Albert (Belle) didn’t want to go to the All-Star Game… Eddie and I talked him into going.” The veterans served as a backbone for a fiery, sometimes volatile, team.
“It was really amazing how well everyone got along,” Hershiser said. “It was a team with a strong personality and a lot of diversity.”
World Series Regrets and Final Reflections
Though the Indians lost to the Braves in the 1995 World Series, the run felt like a triumph. Hershiser returned to the postseason again in 1997 as the Tribe reached another Fall Classic, this time falling in heartbreaking fashion to the Marlins in seven games.
“I just wish we had won the World Series for the fans,” Hershiser said. “I had a lousy World Series.” At age 39, he struggled in both of his starts. But even in disappointment, his bond with the city endured.
“Every time I go to Cleveland, the people make me feel so welcome,” he told Pluto. “I love to talk Tribe.”
In 2001, when the Indians honored the top 100 players in franchise history, Hershiser was there. “They introduced us at a game, and when I came out there, they gave me a standing ovation. Just thinking about it now gives me goosebumps.”
A Dodger Forever — And Something More
Dodgers fans will always claim Orel Hershiser as their own. He was the face of the franchise during one of its proudest moments, and he continues to serve as a broadcaster and ambassador for the team. But for three unforgettable years, he belonged to Cleveland, too.
The bulldog didn’t just prove he could still pitch. He reminded baseball what leadership looked like. And in doing so, he gave one more city a reason to cheer.
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