Cleveland Indians: Tyler Naquin Returns, Is Key To KC Sweep
By Joe Russo
Cleveland Indians rookie outfielder Tyler Naquin has been given another opportunity at the big league level and is making the most of it.
Marlon Byrd‘s suspension was a tough break for sure. He had been swinging a good bat and had provided the only consistent bat among the full-time outfielders.
Sure, Jose Ramirez had been good as a utility guy, but losing Byrd at first glanced looked like a gut punch to the Cleveland Indians. Enter Tyler Naquin.
This site has been driving the Tyler Naquin bandwagon all season long. The belief has been on-going dating back to around spring training when more than a handful of writers lobbied for Naquin to be the every day starter in center field.
Related Story: Should Naquin Be A Regular Starter?
Whether you want to make it #FreeNaquin or #LessCowgill, Factory of Sadness was pushing hard for more playing time for the former first-round pick. Byrd’s suspension blew the door wide open for Naquin to be a regular in the Cleveland Indians lineup.
More from Cleveland Guardians
- Emmanuel Clase is not struggling for the Cleveland Guardians in 2023
- 3 teams the Cleveland Guardians should trade Shane Bieber to
- Zach Plesac’s tenure with the Cleveland Guardians will not be fondly remembered
- Terry Francona continues to pad his historic resume during Cleveland Guardians tenure
- Don’t Miss One of Ohio’s Biggest Sportsbook Promos (Unlock $1,250 Bonus at Caesars!)
What better chance to prove himself than this weekend’s four game series against the defending champion Kansas City Royals? To say that Naquin stepped up when needed is a vast understatement.
Naquin’s glove was never in doubt. He had always proven to cover a ton of ground in center and his sure hands were already looking to be a major upgrade over the Michael Bourn / Abraham Almonte combo from 2015. But few, save for a few writers on the FoS staff, could have predicted this line from Naquin in the Royals series: 6/11, 3 HR, 1 2B, 5 RBI, 4 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Those are not the numbers even the most optimistic Tribe fans would have expected from Naquin. Sure, it’s only one series, but the proof is in the performance against the chief rival for the Cleveland Indians in the A.L. Central. In losing the 38 year old Byrd, Terry Francona is now able to unleash the 25 year old Naquin.
More from Factory of Sadness
- Bet $1 on ANYTHING to Unlock $200 Guaranteed with Crazy Bet365 Ohio Promo!
- 3 reasons why the Cleveland Cavaliers have a good shot to win the East next year
- It might be too soon to say it but it looks like the Cleveland Guardians are back
- Are the Cleveland Browns a Top 10 roster heading into the 2023 season?
- Eastern Conference Solidarity: Back the Heat with $5 Bet, Win $200 Bonus INSTANTLY with DraftKings Promo
This weekend saw the first four game sweep of the Royals since August 2006. The sweep gave the club their largest lead in the division since May 21st, 2013, when they held a 1 1/2 game lead early in the season.
While the veteran presence of Mike Napoli (who leads the club in home runs and RBI) and Rajai Davis has been a major boost, the Cleveland Indians now have perhaps the most talented young roster in baseball.
Between Naquin, Ramirez, Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall, Carlos Carrasco, and Danny Salazar, the Cleveland Indians have the best young core in the division for sure.
The upcoming 10 game road trip against the Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles of Anaheim Angels, and the Royals will prove whether this series was a fluke or a glimpse of things to come. For now, we should all feel a lot better about Naquin in center after losing Byrd.
Next: Tribe Trade Talk Post Byrd Suspension
If Naquin can keep providing plus defense while swinging merely a good bat (this weekend was a great bat for the record), this team has a golden opportunity to extend their lead and make a strong statement in the American League. We might ultimately look back at Byrd’s suspension as the best thing to happen to this roster.