CLEVELAND — Throughout the 2022 MLB season, many of the Cleveland Guardians players have spent time giving back to the community by working with various Northeast Ohio organizations.
As the team takes the field for their first game of the American League Wild Card Series, members of those organizations will be in attendance at Progressive Field, thanks to the Guardians.
The Guardians announced that six Cleveland Guardians player programs will be hosted for each AL Wild Card game at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.
120 individuals will be in attendance at the game from the following organizations:
- Cleveland RBI Teams: Hosted by Josh Naylor
- Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities works with youth to encourage academic achievement and increase diversity in baseball. The Guardians work alongside the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to help students attend higher education for free.
- True2U: Hosted by Triston McKenzie
- McKenzie has spent time as a mentor for an eighth-grade class at Valley View Boys' Leadership Academy to help students make decisions as they head into high school.
- Cleveland Guardians Chess Club: Hosted by Steven Kwan
- Kwan has teamed up with students from John Marshall High School's chess team to compete in matches with other Guardians players.
- Ready to Respond: Hosted by bullpen coach Brian Sweeney and the bullpen
- The program works to give first responders in Northeast Ohio a unique game-day experience with the Guardians.
- Letters with Love: hosted by Cal Quantrill
- Throughout the whole season, Quantrill has collected letters to send to foster children in order to spread positivity, confidence and love to foster children in Cleveland and Phoenix.
- Plesac's Pals: Hosted by Zach Plesac
- Via a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of NEO, Plesac created a program that promotes healthy living and an active lifestyle for youth.