Fernández signed with the Cleveland Indians for the 1997 season. Thanks in large part to his own game-winning home run against Baltimore in the American League Championship Series—the only 1–0 game in MLB postseason history with an extra-innings home run—he played in the 1997 World Series with the Indians. In Game 7 of the World Series against the Florida Marlins, Fernández hit a two-run single in the top of the third inning for the Indians' only runs of the game, and was in position to be credited with the Series-winning hit for Cleveland, had they won the game. However, in the bottom of the 11th inning, Fernández committed an error on a potential double play ball while playing at second base, and the eventual World Series-winning run was put on base as a result.