Nathaniel Lowe has only been in Cleveland for a couple of months, but he already understands what this postseason run means to the city. After the Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday afternoon, Lowe stood on the field at Progressive Field as the crowd celebrated around him. The win gave Cleveland a 2-1 lead in the best of seven series and moved the Guardians within two victories of the World Series. Speaking with MLB Network, Lowe said playing in front of Cleveland fans has been a blast. Then he made it clear he knows exactly what those fans have been waiting for.
“It’s so fun playing here in front of these people. They deserve a chance to win it all, and we’re going to give it to them,” Lowe said.
“It's so fun playing here in front of these people. They deserve a chance to win it all and we're going to give it to them.”
– Nathaniel Lowe after the @CleGuardians Game 3 win#ALCS | @MelanieLynneN pic.twitter.com/tPB5QXnskz
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 15, 2026
Lowe followed that up with a promise, saying the Guardians are going to give the fans that chance.
No franchise in baseball has gone longer without a championship. The Guardians last won the World Series in 1948, and they have come agonizingly close several times since then, losing in the Fall Classic in 1995, 1997 and 2016. The 2016 loss to the Cubs in seven games still stings for many fans, especially after Cleveland held a three games to one lead in that series. A trip back to the World Series would give this fan base another shot at ending one of the longest droughts in all of sports.
Lowe knows what it takes to get there. He was the everyday first baseman for the Texas Rangers when they won the World Series in 2023, so he has experienced the kind of run the Guardians are on right now. That perspective has made him a valuable voice in the clubhouse since Cleveland acquired him from the Reds at the trade deadline in August.
He has also delivered on the field in this series. Lowe opened the scoring on Thursday with a second inning double into the right field corner that brought Jo Adell all the way around from first base. In Game 1 at Tropicana Field, he lined a two run single off left hander Ian Seymour in the eighth inning to give Cleveland the lead for good, despite hitting just .111 against lefties during the regular season. Through three games of the ALCS, he has driven in three runs.
Now he gets another chance to back up his words. Game 4 is set for Friday at Progressive Field, with the Guardians looking to move within one win of the pennant. If Lowe and his teammates keep delivering, Cleveland fans could get the chance he promised them.
NEXT: Petey Halpin Explains His Unforgettable Game 3 Celebration
