October 5, 2024
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
The Cleveland Guardians made history this morning when they announced their Division Series roster and it included four Canadian players.
According to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, this is the first time in major league history that a team has had four Canucks on their post-season roster.
When the Guardians open their Division Series against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field at 1 p.m. today, they will do so with catcher Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.), first baseman Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and relievers Erik Sabrowski (St. Albert, Alta.) and Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) all available to play.
All four could be major contributors in the series. Bo and Josh Naylor will be starting at catcher and first base respectively, while Smith and Sabrowski will be used in high leverage situations out of the bullpen.
Josh Naylor belted 30 home runs and recorded more than 100 RBIs for the first time in his big league career this season, while his younger brother, Bo, clubbed a career-high 13 home runs and has been solid defensively behind the plate.
Smith should earn strong American League Rookie of the Year consideration after posting a 6-1 record and 1.91 ERA in 74 appearances. And all Sabrowski did after being called up on August 28 was strike out 19 in 12 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
According to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, there have been five previous teams that have included three Canadians on their post-season rosters:
2022 Cleveland Guardians – Josh and Bo Naylor, Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.)
2022 Toronto Blue Jays – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.), Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) and Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.)
2016 Toronto Blue Jays – Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.), Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C.) and Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.)
2011 Milwaukee Brewers – John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.), Taylor Green (Comox, B.C.) and George Kottaras (Scarborough, Ont.)
2004 Minnesota Twins – Jesse Crain (Toronto, Ont.), Corey Koskie (Anola, Man.) and Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.)
Thanks for the write up on the four Canadians in the post season with Cleveland Guardians.
Thanks for reading it and your support.
Go Guardians Go
Yes, indeed, with their four Canadians. Thanks, Bob.
Lets get all 4 into the same game so we set some even cooler baseball history
Yes, that would be awesome. Thanks for your comment, Scott.