Cleveland Indians: Why Edwin Encarnacion is needed in Game 5

Edwin Encarnacion is eying a return for Game 5 of the ALDS, and the Cleveland Indians need him more than ever.

Two games after spraining his ankle while running back to second base, Edwin Encarnacion is looking to return to the Cleveland Indians’ starting nine in tonight’s “do or die” Game 5.

Edwin sustained his injury while attempting to step on second base to avoid being doubled up in Game 2.

Luckily, he was seen swinging and running in Tuesday’s practice.

This is obviously fantastic news for Indians fans. Encarnacion was paid $60 million for a reason. He is arguably the best hitter in the Indians lineup. When he is hot he can carry a team for weeks at a time.

More from Away Back Gone

• Cleveland Guardians tantalizingly close to locking up AL Central tiebreakers
• Cleveland Guardians: Terry Francona becomes meme in profanity-laced ejection
• Say goodbye to defensive shifts and hello to bigger bases, pitch clock in 2023
• Cleveland Guardians: Shane Bieber second-fastest to 800 strikeouts in major-league history
• The next week will make or break the Cleveland Guardians’ season

While he hasn’t been able to contribute much in this series due to his injury, Edwin was a key factor in the Indians’ magical season. He was fifth in the American league in runs batted in with 107.

He was also second in the AL in walks with 104. As for his value on the team, Edwin has 105.1 runs created, behind only Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor.

Encarnacion has also showed an ability to get himself on the bases. He had a 34-game on-base streak and was walked a team-high 104 times.

If you set the numbers aside, you see just how valuable Edwin is to this team. He hits at a critical spot in the lineup behind  Jose Ramirez. That spot makes it difficult for teams to pitch around the that part of the lineup as he sits between Ramirez and power-hitter Jay Bruce.

Needless to say, without Edwin in the DH spot, it has been an underwhelming position for the Indians this series. Michael Brantley simply has not been effective for the Tribe in the playoffs.

Next: Analyzing Clevinger's playoff usage

Encarnacion gives this team a boost on offense that it sorely needs in order to advance. Should he be back in the lineup, fans should feel a lot better going into game 5.