AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS VS GUARDIANS

October 8, 2024

Steven Kwan

Comerica Park

Cleveland Guardians

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Steven, especially in a series that's likely to go back and forth, what's the best way for you to process a loss? How do you deal with it that night and perhaps the next morning?

STEVEN KWAN: Yeah. Just kind of having like an after-action report with that. Like seeing what went well, what didn't, feeling the emotions. And then thankfully you have that really good night of sleep, and then you kind of get excited to get back to the field.

Q. Did you like having a workout today as opposed to just a full day off, whether it was Cleveland or a hotel here in Detroit?

STEVEN KWAN: Yeah. I think we definitely needed a workout here, just to kind of get the lay of the land again. Obviously, we've been here a couple times, but it's drastically different from our ballpark. Getting a feel for how the ball is flying, seeing if there's any shadows. We're going to have that kind of similar feel for the game. Facilities and everything, you don't want to get blind-sided by anything on the day of the game.

Q. Steven, can you take us through the catch last night?

STEVEN KWAN: Yeah. Tough part of the game. Saw the ball go up, knew what was at stake, and, I mean, in that instance you just kind of have to leave your feet, and then thankfully made the catch.

Q. Steven, how much differently does this ballpark, specifically the outfield, play compared to Progressive Field?

STEVEN KWAN: Yeah. It's huge. It's no secret that it's probably one of the bigger outfields in baseball. Just being able to try to contain as much as you can in front. It also is going to lead for more base running aggressiveness because we have to play deeper.

So I think making sure we have our arms under us, not getting blind-sided by that as well. Detroit is obviously an aggressive team base running as well. So just making sure you cut down those angles while at the same time not being too aggressive and letting it get by you. That's going to be the stuff that we're going to have to tackle today.

Q. How unusual is it to face a team that has so many bullpen days instead of traditional starters, and how do you adjust to that?

STEVEN KWAN: Yeah. It's definitely different. We obviously game plan for a starter, and then you kind of get a feel for it as it goes second and third time. But with it being a new arm every time, it's different.

Again, thankfully, we've faced these guys before. I think if it was out of division, it would be a little tougher, seeing these guys for the first time in these high-leverage games. But saw some of these guys in the Minor Leagues as well, which is really fortunate for us.

Yeah, it's definitely unique, but we have a good game plan going into it. We'll see what it is today.

Q. Steven, been an exciting postseason throughout baseball so far, but just the American League side of things, what do you think the American League Central is kind of showing the rest of baseball when it's kind of a division that kind of gets overlooked a little bit?

STEVEN KWAN: Yeah. At least speaking for me at least, I think we hear all those kind of jabs where it's like, oh, it's just the AL Central, or like anything kind of coming out of this division is kind of discredited amongst the East and West.

I'd like to think we take it as a source of pride. Obviously the Royals are doing their thing over in New York. We're playing great baseball here in Detroit. And I think it's just exciting to see what's possible. And I feel like we've been underestimated for a while, and just to be up on the national stage, it's exciting.

Q. Emmanuel Clase's success this year has been abnormal, freakishly outrageous. What's the confidence level in the next time he goes out there for you guys when you give him the ball?

STEVEN KWAN: It's always top-notch. Like you said, you've seen him do it a couple times. Go out in highlight situations and get a job done. So it's no different now.

Q. Last night Jhonkensy said about his play that he was trying to just imitate you the way that he tries to pick up the ball, turn and fire the way that you do. I know that's probably a lot to hear, but just to think of how recently it probably seems to you that you were the rookie and now to be the guy who other people are looking up to, what does that mean to hear that, that that's what was going through his mind making that play?

STEVEN KWAN: Yeah. That's special. He said that to me right when it happened because I think we had a pitching change shortly after, and I told him I've never blindly threw it and got it all the way to second base. Usually mine get there in like five or six.

So it's definitely cool hearing that from him. I mean, he's so unbelievably talented. I didn't even see it until the replay again. He was also throwing into the sun, which is crazy. Usually when I spin, I kind of can orient myself. But he was truly throwing blind. So, I mean, that was unbelievable from him.

Q. He called it a Kwan turn. Are you going to file for the patent on that?

STEVEN KWAN: I don't think I can claim that one. Truly, the one I think of on that is like a Mookie Betts one down the line. He had a play down the line in right field. It was a blind one. He gets it all the way there. I definitely don't think I'm the first one to do that.

Q. What's the most difficult aspect of that kind of turn and throw?

STEVEN KWAN: I think just making sure you field it. You obviously know what's at stake. You know the ball is coming down the line, and you're trying to orient yourself to make that throw.

I've had it happen more often than not where you get ready for this play, you got your arm primed, and you just miss the ball. So being able to kind of sync all that up, get the footwork right and then obviously make the throw, that's a crazy play.

Q. Steven, what has a Josh Naylor meant to this team, and do you have a favorite Josh Naylor moment?

STEVEN KWAN: I mean, yeah. He's our leader. He's our Iron Man. He plays every single day. He's just consistent. I guess that's kind of this fair part of it is you know what you're going to get with him every day. Good or bad, he's going to be the same guy, and especially when it comes to these high-leverage games, you need people that are consistent and not kind of riding the roller coaster of the playoffs. This isn't his first rodeo. So being able to lean on him for these moments is huge.