Cleveland Guardians need this All-Star to wake up at the plate in Game 3

While underrated Cleveland Guardians players such as Brayan Rocchio and Bo Naylor have shown up big for the squad during the playoffs, one name has not.

Steven Kwan.

Kwan is currently in the midst of a slump that started on September 25th. In that timeframe, Kwan has gone 2-for-23 at the plate. If the Guardians want to beat the Detroit Tigers and advance, they need the best version of Kwan going forward.

Cleveland can’t count on the heroics of guys like Rocchio or rookie Chase DeLauter going forward. They need their big guns to step up, and Kwan is a huge part of the puzzle. He needs to step up in a big way.

This game is absolutely crucial for the Guardians. They can’t give up after making a miraculous run to the division title, especially when they are playing the team that they stole that crown from.

At one point in the season, the Tigers held a 15.5-game lead in the division race before they faltered down the stretch. The Guardians have had their number recently, going 5-1 against Detroit in the month of September. Losing Game 3 would mean losing all of that goodwill and momentum the Guardians built up in their sprint down the stretch.

Kwan needs to be the best version of himself for the Guardians to have hope. He is their leadoff guy. He is the guy that the entire team looks at to get their bats going and get momentum on their side.

Watching Kwan in the batter’s box can be mesmerizing at times. He’s always cool and collected, and he can see the strike zone like almost no other hitter in baseball. 

The Tigers will pitch Jack Flaherty to start Game 3. In his career, Kwan is 4-16 with two walks, two RBIs, and one strikeout. His numbers aren’t bad facing Flaherty, and he can hopefully use that familiarity to his advantage to start Game 3 off on the right note.

In a potential sign of better things to come, Kwan did hit a double in Game 2 yesterday after Brayan Rocchio’s home run in the 8th inning. Daniel Schneeman then hit Kwan home with a double of his own to make the game 3-1 and open it up for the Guards.

Kwan’s clutch hitting and his ability to get on base in a variety of ways are huge for this Guardians’ team. If Kwan can break this slump, Cleveland will be in a much better position to win Game 3 and take the series.