Francisco Lindor, Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber

The Indians sent three players to the All-Star Game in San Diego last year -- Francisco Lindor (12), Danny Salazar (31) and Corey Kluber (28).

(Ron Schwane, Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The momentum that the Indians have built over the last four years has made an impression. Not only in the won-loss column, but at the highest levels of Major League Baseball.

It is one of the reasons the franchise has been awarded the 2019 All-Star Game. The team is expected to hold a press conference announcing the arrival of the Midsummer Classic on Friday.

Cleveland and the All-Star Game is a good fit.

The Indians have posted four straight winning seasons, culminating in last year's AL pennant and run to the seventh game of the World Series before losing to the Cubs in 10 innings. Manager Terry Francona was named AL Manager of the Year for the second time in the last four seasons for leading the Indians to their first AL Central title since 2007 and first pennant since 1997.

While attendance has lagged during this stretch, owner Paul Dolan has spent millions on refurbishing Progressive Field with the help of concessionaire Delaware North. The ballpark has undergone two major facelifts over the last two years and more work is being done this off-season.

The renovations have reduced the seating capacity at Progressive Field from an estimated 44,000 to just over 38,000.

This will be the sixth All-Star Game played in Cleveland. The last one was in 1997 and featured favorite son Sandy Alomar hitting a game-winning home run for the American League. Alomar, a six-time All-Star for the Indians, is the team's first base coach.

It will be the first All-Star Game played in an American League Park in four years. San Diego hosted the game last year with Miami and Washington hosting in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Francona will manage the AL All-Stars this year at Marlins Park on July 11.

The 1997 All-Star Game was played in the midst of an Indians revival that saw six division titles and two pennants in seven years from 1995 through 2001. During that time, they topped three million in attendance for six straight seasons and sold out a then record 455 straight games.

Could the Indians be on the verge of something similar?

In December, Dolan green-lighted the signing of Edwin Encarnacion, the top free agent run producer, to a three-year, $60 million contract. The signing, the biggest in team history, includes a club option that could push the deal to $80 million. The Indians will enter the 2017 season with a payroll in excess of $100 million for the first time in franchise history.

Encarnacion will be joining a team that finished second in the AL in runs scored last season and reached Game 7 with the best part of the club - its starting rotation - wounded because of injuries to Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer.

They have a deep and talented farm system that allowed them to acquire left-hander Andrew Miller from the Yankees at the trading deadline last year. Francona's creativity, along with Miller's talent and willingness to pitch at any part of the game, has given new insight on how teams might use their bullpens in the seasons to come.

That same farm system has produced Gold Glove shortstop Francisco Lindor, an All-Star in just his second season in the big leagues. It has also found third baseman Jose Ramirez, second baseman Jason Kipnis, closer Cody Allen, center fielder Tyler Naquin, right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall, catcher Roberto Perez and starters Josh Tomlin and Carrasco.

A smart front office, led by Chris Antonetti, has added to those homegrown players by acquiring Corey Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco, Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes, Brandon Guyer, Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Carlos Santana and Bryan Shaw through trades.

The Indians won the Central by eight games last year. They enter this season as the team to beat in a division at the crossroads. The Twins and White Sox are rebuilding. The Royals, stunned by the death of right-hander Yordano Ventura, could be looking at a rebuild as well after reaching the World Series in 2014 and 2015. The Tigers, old but dangerous, are expected to be the Indians' biggest challenge.

It's clear that the window to win and go deep into the postseason is wide open. There's a chance that could still be the case in July of 2019 when best players in the big leagues once again come to Cleveland.