Anyone who has been following the Cleveland Indians this season could have plenty of reason to feel confident in Carlos Santana, Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis, Mike Napoli, and Jose Ramirez, who have all been consistent sources of offense for this potent Tribe lineup.
However, the Tribe has a 2-0 lead in the ALDS and three players in particular, who were not the most likely candidates to spark the offense, are largely responsible for this series lead.
Roberto Perez
The catcher position has been one of the “weaknesses” of the Indians lineup in 2016, but Perez put together two great games in his first postseason.
Perez went 2-for-4 in Game 1, blasting a solo home run to right field.
He also used sneaky baserunning skills to get into scoring position later in the game and came around to score from second on an RBI single. In Game 2, Perez went 0-for-1, drawing two walks. He has scored three runs in the first two games of the series.
Lonnie Chisenhall
Chisenhall was a solid player all season long, but perhaps his most unexpected moment of the year came in Game 2, when he belted a three-run home run off of David Price.
It was the left-handed hitting Chisenhall’s first home run off of left-handed pitching in 2016.
Chisenhall has one home run and four RBI in two games.
Brandon Guyer
Everyone who follows Guyer knows he can hit left-handed pitching and it was no surprise when he went 2-for-2 off of Price, driving in a run with an RBI single.
However, he also singled off of right-hander Matt Barnes and finished the day 3-for-4 with three singles. He also scored two runs in the 6-0 victory.
Guyer is going to be a valuable piece, whether he starts against lefties or is used as a pinch-hitter off the bench.
Having him as a platoon option and a pinch-hitter makes opposing managers have to think twice about inserting a left-hander out of the bullpen.
If the Indians do manage to get through the American League, having a pinch-hitter like Guyer to call upon to step in for the pitcher at the plate is a great option for skipper Terry Francona to consider in the sixth inning or later.
Who will be the next unexpected hero of the Tribe offense?
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