BOSTON -- Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin continues to make significant progress in his recovery from a life-threatening bacterial infection, but he will not play baseball again in 2018, manager Terry Francona told reporters Wednesday.
Martin, 30, took ill following a game against Minnesota on Aug. 7. Doctors determined that a bacterial infection had entered his bloodstream and released toxins that damaged his internal organs and compromised their function.
Martin spent 11 days in the Cleveland Clinic, where he was visited by many of his teammates, before being released last weekend.
Martin returned to the Cleveland Clinic on Wednesday morning for a scheduled recheck with Dr. Dermot Phelan and Dr. Thomas Waters, the Indians said. The doctors gave a positive prognosis for a full recovery, but tests showed that Martin's heart and other organs will require an additional one to two months for that to happen.
Francona held a brief meeting in the Fenway Park visiting clubhouse Wednesday to update the Cleveland players on Martin's status.
"The news is really good," Francona said. "He is doing fantastic, but he's not going to play baseball this year. We just wanted to share it because the guys ask all the time. Overall, he's doing so well. We're so thrilled that he's OK.
"I think he wanted to play, but the doctors thought with what happened, he needs some time to let his body heal. We fully support that, even though we miss him a lot. It's the right thing to do."
The Indians acquired Martin from the Detroit Tigers on July 31 in a trade for minor league infielder Willi Castro. Martin went 5-for-15 in six games before his season-ending illness.
Greg Allen has filled the void in Martin's absence. He extended his hit streak to 14 games and made two spectacular catchers in center field in Cleveland's 6-3 victory Tuesday.
The Indians, who have already lost outfielders Bradley Zimmer, Tyler Naquin and Lonnie Chisenhall to injury this season, placed Rajai Davis on the disabled list Wednesday with what they called a non-baseball-related medical condition. Francona said the Indians expect Davis to return at the end of his 10-day DL stint.