MLB Analyst Reveals Major Honor for Cleveland Guardians Star
![Oct 15, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A Cleveland Guardians helmet and glove before game three of the NLDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Oct 15, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A Cleveland Guardians helmet and glove before game three of the NLDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5099,h_2868,x_0,y_2046/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/cleveland_baseball_insider/01j5rc6htw6g1gw1nfdw.jpg)
The Cleveland Guardians are still one of the best teams in baseball, but they have been struggling a bit of late. Over their last 10 games, they have gone 5-5 and are currently on a three-game losing streak entering Tuesday's MLB action.
Despite the rough stretch they have had, the talent is there for the Guardians to compete for a World Series.
At 72-52, Cleveland still has a two and a half game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central division. They are also tied for being the No. 4 best team in baseball by record.
All of that being said, they need to pick up their level of play down the stretch of the regular season. But, they're still in a great position and have the talent to get back to dominating like they were not long ago.
One of the biggest reasons for their success this season has been the emergence of rising star outfielder Steven Kwan.
At just 26 years old, Kwan has been exceptionally good at the plate this year. He has been batting .316/.374/.467 to go along with 13 home runs and 36 RBI in 98 games.
Those numbers have started garnering him a lot of attention from the national media.
Tim Kelly of Just Baseball recently gave Kwan an honor and major praise in his rankings for the top 10 most underrated players in baseball. He placed Kwan as his No. 1 most underrated player.
"Over his first two MLB seasons, Kwan was a nice table-setter, hitting .282 with a .739 OPS. But Kwan has taken a major step forward in his third season, as he’s hitting .325 with an .863 OPS. He also has 13 home runs, after hitting just 11 combined between 2022 and 2023. Additionally, Kwan has continued to grade out well in left field, with seven defensive runs saved and four outs above average. He’ll be in the race to win his third consecutive Gold Glove, on top of finishing in the top five in batting average among AL hitters."
Kwan will be needed to continue playing at the level that he has so far. If the Guardians are going to make a run at a World Series appearance, the talented outfielder will need to be a big part of it.
Cleveland has a budding star on its hands. Kwan is receiving the recognition that he deserves.
Hopefully, Kwan and the rest of the teams will be able to pick things up in the near future. The Guardians have had an amazing season and it would be a major shame to see it fall apart in the final stretch.
Fans have no need to panic. This team is for real and should figure things out in the near future ahead of the postseason.