With the Cleveland Guardians facing elimination in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers the team came through with a huge 5-4 win to force a decisive Game 5 on Saturday. Left fielder Steven Kwan made franchise history when he started the playoffs with a leadoff hit. On Thursday he again delivered at the plate and on the base paths to help lead the Guardians to victory. It’s the latest example of Kwan’s massive impact on the team’s success.

In Cleveland’s do-or-die Game 4, Kwan went 3-5 with a stolen base and two runs scored. Through four games of the ALDS Kwan is slashing a ridiculous .500/.556/.563 from the leadoff spot. His contributions go beyond eye-popping numbers. When Kwan is successful at the plate, the Guardians tend to win.

This trend goes beyond the small sample size of the playoffs. Looking at the 2024 season, it’s easy to see that if Kwan is cooking, Cleveland wins. The third-year pro has a .988 OPS in 69 Guardian wins this season. However, in 57 losses, his OPS is just .565, according to MLB Network on X. The numbers are consistent across the board. Kwan is batting .353 with 29 extra-base hits, 36 RBI and 70 runs scored in Cleveland victories, while those numbers drop to a .229 average, 5 extra-base hits, 8 RBI and 17 runs scored in the team’s losses.

Steven Kwan is the Guardians’ secret weapon

Oct 10, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (38) hits a single in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers during game four of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Comerica Park.
Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The MLB Tonight crew predicted that if Kwan is able to get two base hits against Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal in the winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday, the Guardians would win the series. While it’s still too early to call, the All-Star outfielder is already 2-3 with a run scored (raising his slash line to .526/.571/.579) and Cleveland leads 5-3 in the top of the seventh inning.

It’s easy to get overlooked in a lineup that has the consistently excellent Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor, who both deservedly get a lot of credit for the Guardians’ success. But Kwan is unquestionably an integral part of this team, setting the table from the leadoff spot for Cleveland’s power bats.

The Guardians won the AL Central, earning a bye during the Wild Card round. That time off benefitted Kwan, who had missed 11 games with a back injury in September. He was able to return from the IL for the last two games of the regular season and, following Cleveland’s bye, he hit the ground running in the ALDS.

So far in his young career, Kwan has delivered in the postseason. In 11 games, he’s batting .370 with a .898 OPS and eight runs scored. If the Guardians can take care of business and defeat the Tigers, Kwan and Cleveland will move on to face the New York Yankees in the Championship Series.