A day after a health scare forced Terry Francona out of action, the Indians manager felt more embarrassed than anything about not being able to work a game.

Francona complained of chest pains, broke out in a sweat and had a heart rate over 100 beats a minute Tuesday night at Nationals Park. After an electrocardiogram and full checkup at the stadium, the Indians sent him back to the hotel as a precaution.

Francona returned to the ballpark for Wednesday afternoon's game in Washington.

Despite a history of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms, Francona appreciated jokes from team staffers like travel director Mike Segli, who called dibs on Francona's scooter.

“I probably had more messages that were not complimentary than were,” Francona said with a laugh. “I was more embarrassed.

“If guys started worrying — treating me like that — I'd have been scared. Because if anybody deserves it, it's probably me.”

The 57-year-old has twice suffered a pulmonary embolism. He compared Tuesday's episode to something that happened to him at Yankee Stadium in 2005 when he was managing the Red Sox.

Francona didn't have a heart attack then but something that mimicked the symptoms.

Doctors “thought one of my clots had maybe slipped through the little screen in there,” he said. “It kind of acts like a heart attack and gives you the same feeling. Because I'm on blood thinners it went away, (but) it put me in the hospital for three days.”

Francona didn't require hospitalization this time. The hardest part was watching the game from the hotel.

“It's a helpless feeling,” he said. “You hate to not be there.”