After a long 19-month “off-season”, minor league baseball and the Indianapolis Indians are back in action!
Here are the basics of how the 2021 Indianapolis Indians Season will work.
And let us preface this with all dates and plans are subject to change due to the fluid situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Introducing The Triple-A East
You’ll also notice some new teams on the schedule. This is because the International League was disbanded before the 2021 season in conjunction with Major League Baseball‘s reorganization of Minor League Baseball.
All 14 teams formerly of the Triple-A International League, plus four teams from the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, one team from the Double-A Southern League, and one team from the independent American Association of Professional Baseball, make up the newly formed 20-team Triple-A East.
Along with the Triple-A West, Triple-A East is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball (MLB).
The Triple-A East teams are as follows.
Division | Team | MLB Affiliation | City |
---|---|---|---|
Midwest | Columbus Clippers | Cleveland Indians | Columbus, Ohio |
Indianapolis Indians | Pittsburgh Pirates | Indianapolis, Indiana | |
Iowa Cubs | Chicago Cubs | Des Moines, Iowa | |
Louisville Bats | Cincinnati Reds | Louisville, Kentucky | |
Omaha Storm Chasers | Kansas City Royals | Papillion, Nebraska | |
St. Paul Saints | Minnesota Twins | Saint Paul, Minnesota | |
Toledo Mud Hens | Detroit Tigers | Toledo, Ohio | |
Northeast | Buffalo Bisons | Toronto Blue Jays | Buffalo, New York |
Lehigh Valley IronPigs | Philadelphia Phillies | Allentown, Pennsylvania | |
Rochester Red Wings | Washington Nationals | Rochester, New York | |
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders | New York Yankees | Moosic, Pennsylvania | |
Syracuse Mets | New York Mets | Syracuse, New York | |
Worcester Red Sox | Boston Red Sox | Worcester, Massachusetts | |
Southeast | Charlotte Knights | Chicago White Sox | Charlotte, North Carolina |
Durham Bulls | Tampa Bay Rays | Durham, North Carolina | |
Gwinnett Stripers | Atlanta Braves | Lawrenceville, Georgia | |
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp | Miami Marlins | Jacksonville, Florida | |
Memphis Redbirds | St. Louis Cardinals | Memphis, Tennessee | |
Nashville Sounds | Milwaukee Brewers | Nashville, Tennessee | |
Norfolk Tides | Baltimore Orioles | Norfolk, Virginia |
Indianapolis Indians 2021 Home Game Schedule
Due to the pandemic and delayed start of the season, there will be 60 home games over the course of ten 6-game homestands.
The only non-division home series will be played against the Memphis Redbirds June 15-20, 2021.
Single-game tickets may be purchased at milb.com/indianapolis/tickets/promotions.
- May 11-16, 2021: Toledo Mud Hens [Results] (Indians win series 5-1)
- June 1-6, 2021: Columbus Clippers [Results] (Indians win series 4-2)
- June 15-20, 2021: Memphis Redbirds (Southeast Division) [Results] (Indians win series 5-1)
- June 29-July 4, 2021: Iowa Cubs
- July 13-18, 2021: Omaha Storm Chasers
- July 20-25, 2021: Toledo Mud Hens
- August 10-15, 2021: St. Paul Saints
- August 24-29, 2021: Louisville Bats
- August 31-September 5, 2021: Iowa Cubs
- September 14-19, 2021: St. Paul Saints
Indianapolis Indians 2021 Away Game Schedule
Due to the pandemic and delayed start of the season, there will also be 60 away games over the course of ten 6-game homestands.
The only non-division away series will be played against the Nashville Sounds June 8-13, 2021.
- May 4-9, 2021: @ Iowa Cubs [Results] (Indians trail in series 3-2, May 8th game to be made up on August 4th)
- May 18-23, 2021: @ St. Paul Saints [Results] (Indians win series 4-2)
- May 25-30, 2021: @ Omaha Storm Chasers [Results] (Indians lose series 6-0)
- June 8-13, 2021: @ Nashville Sounds (Southeast Division) [Results] (Indians split series 3-3)
- June 22-27, 2021: @ Louisville Bats [Results] (Indians lose series 4-2)
- July 6-11, 2021: @ Columbus Clippers
- July 27-August 1, 2021: @ St. Paul Saints
- August 3-8, 2021: @ Iowa Cubs
- August 17-22, 2021: @ Toledo Mud Hens
- September 7-12, 2021: @ Louisville Bats
Indianapolis Indians 2021 Radio Broadcast Schedule
Listen on AM 1260 as Howard Kellman, Andrew Kappes and Cheyne Reiter call the action all season long.
Indianapolis Indians 2021 Home Game TV Schedule
In what we think is a very cool agreement, WISH-TV/MyINDY-TV 23 will be airing 35 of the 60 Indianapolis Indians home games.
The broadcast schedule is as follows:
- Tuesday, May 11 vs. Toledo Mud Hens
- Friday, May 14 – Sunday, May 16 vs. Toledo Mud Hens
- Thursday, June 3 – Sunday, June 6 vs. Columbus Clippers
- Thursday, June 17 – Sunday, June 20 vs. Memphis Redbirds
- Tuesday, June 29 – Sunday, July 4 vs. Iowa Cubs
- Thursday, July 15 – Friday, July 16 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
- Sunday, July 18 vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
- Wednesday, July 21 – Sunday, July 25 vs. Toledo Mud Hens
- Thursday, Aug. 12 – Friday, Aug. 13 vs. St. Paul Saints
- Sunday, Aug. 15 vs. St. Paul Saints
- Saturday, Aug. 28 – Sunday, Aug. 29 vs. Louisville Bats
- Wednesday, Sept. 1 – Thursday, Sept. 2 vs. Iowa Cubs
- Saturday, Sept. 4 – Sunday, Sept. 5 vs. Iowa Cubs
Indianapolis Indians 2021 Streaming Schedule
Enjoy live streaming of all Indianapolis Indians games all season long as well as full game archives on MiLB.TV. Available on desktop, iOS, and Android devices.
Indianapolis Indians 2021 COVID-19 Protocols
Now to address the elephant in the room.
With the Indianapolis Indians home opener set for Tuesday, May 11 against the Toledo Mud Hens at Victory Field, the organization announced numerous health and safety game day protocols in advance of the six-game series that runs through Sunday, May 16. The protocols align with previously set and approved guidelines by the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“We are excited to welcome both Indians baseball and our great fans back to Victory Field,” said Randy Lewandowski, Indianapolis Indians President, and General Manager. “As we open our gates to kick off Victory Field’s 25th anniversary season, the safety of our fans, players, and staff remains top priority. While we recognize new capacity percentages for outdoor events were adjusted yesterday, our existing plan of 25% capacity for May home dates remains in effect. We look forward to increasing capacities later this summer while continuing to follow protocols and guidelines from the Marion County Public Health Department, Major League Baseball, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Safety protocols for game days at Victory Field are detailed here and below:
- Per the current MCPHD order, face coverings will be required for all fans over the age of 2 years old. Fans may only remove masks when actively eating or drinking in their ticketed seat location. Neck gaiters, bandanas, and vented masks will not be accepted upon entry.
- Seating options will primarily be sold in pods of 2, 4, or 6 seats in the seating bowl to ensure social distancing.
- Lawn seating is also available at $12 per ticket in seating pod arrangements in both left and right fields. Lawn pods can hold up to six (6) people. If a group has more than six in its party, they are able to buy pods close to each other to make it work for their group.
- The Indians will operate at 25% capacity (approximately 3,450 fans) through the end of May.
- The Indians have transitioned to a digital ticketing system to provide a safe, convenient and secure way for fans to use and share game tickets. Digital ticketing provides a contactless entry solution for all fans coming to Victory Field.
- All concession stands will be cashless with food and condiments distributed in closed or prepackaged containers. Concession menus will also be simplified.
- Walkways and concourses will have signage to direct guests to ensure proper social distancing, including one-way pedestrian traffic. Restrooms with multiple entrances and gift shops will be assigned a one-way entrance and exit.
- Victory Field has implemented the use of industrial-grade, mobile sanitization units that will be used to disinfect surfaces throughout the stadium prior to, during, and after the game. Hand sanitizing stations for fans and staff have been added to high-traffic areas.
Indianapolis Indians 2021 Schedule Notes
Due to the pandemic and delayed start of the season, all series are six games this season, which are held from Tuesday-Sunday.
There are no Monday games this year, thus we now have the Tuesday Dollar Menu on select dates.
There is no All-Star game this year due to the season delay and schedule changes.
The season will be played straight through from May 4th through September 19th.
There is no scheduled postseason for championship playoffs or the Triple-A National Championship Game.