The two hitters unlike anyone else you’ll see in the playoffs

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan and Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson represent a unique contact-oriented hitting style featured in the 2026 American League Championship Series. Both players registered the highest post-All-Star break batting averages in MLB despite possessing the slowest bat speeds among qualified hitters, standing at 62.4 mph for Kwan and 65.1 mph for Simpson against a league average of 72.1 mph.

While both players excel at bat control and squaring up baseballs, their specific approaches differ at the plate. Simpson utilizes low launch angles and ground balls to maximize his elite sprint speed, whereas Kwan altered his stance to let pitches travel deeper and spray line drives to the opposite field.