The Cleveland Guardians may have lost Monday’s opener against the Kansas City Royals, but they took two out of three this past weekend in Sacramento against the Athletics. In their two victories, they scored a total of 22 runs.
All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan, who has been struggling this year and boasts a disappointing 70 wRC+ before Tuesday’s games, led off on both occasions. He had three hits, two walks, and four runs scored between the two games, effectively kicking off rallies and providing the needed spark for the rest of the lineup.
“Credit should also go to Steven Kwan, who set the table all weekend long. When Kwan is on base, Hoynes and Noga both noted, the entire Guardians offense seems to function differently — more fluid, more dangerous. Kwan posted a .400 on-base percentage for the series across 15 plate appearances, and his presence near the top of the lineup created opportunities for hitters like DeLauter to do damage in high-leverage counts,” Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast wrote.
When Kwan plays well, the offense’s floor and ceiling are both elevated. However, in the finale against the Athletics and the opener vs. the Kansas City Royals, we also got to watch what happens if Kwan fails to produce.
He went a combined 0-for-8 in those two ballgames, with no walks. He didn’t even get on base. The Guardians scored a combined three runs over those two games, losing both.
Guardians fans probably don’t need these samples to understand that the offense hinges, in large part, on what Kwan can do at the top of the lineup. He is a career 110-wRC+ hitter with a .349 OBP, so his 70 wRC+ and .311 OBP this year have been, for lack of better words, detrimental and disappointing.
It’s because of that track record of success that the Guardians and their fans have faith in a return to form. He is too talented to be struggling for so long, and he should eventually hit his stride.
If Kwan is getting walks, working the count, and logging hits at the top of the lineup, Cleveland’s offense stands a good chance. If he isn’t, the path to victory is a bit more difficult. Having Jose Ramirez, DeLauter, Angel Martinez, and Kyle Manzardo hit with Kwan on base can lead to significantly more runs over the long haul.
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