page_title: Russell Branyan
section_title: Return to the Cleveland Indians
hierarchical_section_title: Russell Branyan / Baseball career / Return to the Cleveland Indians
caption_attribution_description: Russell Branyan
context_page_description: Russell Oles Branyan is an American former professional baseball first baseman, who played in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. While primarily a first baseman, Branyan was capable of playing third base and the outfield, as well.
  Branyan began his professional career in the Cleveland Indians minor league system. He made his big league debut with the Indians, on September 26, 1998, and was ranked the Indians' top prospect in 1999 by Baseball America. Though he demonstrated the ability to hit home runs with Cleveland, his batting average was low. Indians' manager Charlie Manuel suggested in 2002 that Branyan could benefit from more playing time, but he was traded to the Reds for prospect Ben Broussard during the season. Excited to have a "clean slate," as he put it, Branyan hit 16 home runs with the Reds in 2002 but struggled with injuries in the 2003 campaign.
context_section_description: On February 19, 2010, Branyan accepted a one-year, $2 million contract with a $5 million option for 2011 from the Cleveland Indians. The back injury he had dealt with last year kept him on the disabled list until April 20. Manager Manny Acta stated that he only wanted to use Branyan for four games a week upon his return to give him some off days to continue to recover, but by May 9 he was playing nearly every game at first base. After not hitting a home run in his first 12 games, he hit two against the Royals on May 11, one against Brian Bannister in the second inning and another against Joakim Soria in the ninth inning of an 8–2 victory over Kansas City. On June 10, he came up to bat in the bottom of the ninth, with the Indians trailing the Red Sox 7–6 with two outs. He had a two-RBI single against Daniel Bard to give the Indians an 8–7 walk-off win. He batted .263 in his first 52 games with the Indians, with 10 home runs and 24 RBI.
caption: Branyan with the Indians in 2010.
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