The Cleveland Guardians' Future with Steven Kwan: A Baseball Mystery
It's a familiar story in baseball: a talented player shines, approaches free agency, and the whispers of a trade begin. This is the current situation for Steven Kwan, the Guardians' star leadoff hitter. But will he stay or will he go? Let's dive into the details.
Last season, Josh Naylor, formerly of the Guardians, found himself traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, then the Seattle Mariners. After excelling with the Mariners, he secured a lucrative five-year, $92.5 million deal. This sets the stage for Kwan's situation.
Kwan recently agreed to a one-year, $7.725 million deal with the Guardians, avoiding arbitration. However, he's just two years away from free agency, potentially mirroring Naylor's path. The Guardians have a history of trading players nearing free agency unless they can secure an extension. As Naylor himself pointed out, players often anticipate trades, understanding the business side of baseball.
Kwan, who led all leadoff hitters with 170 hits last year, has been the subject of trade rumors. The question is, will he be with Cleveland when the 2026 season opens? Given the team's reluctance to significantly improve their offense, the odds seem stacked against it. But here's where it gets controversial: could an extension be on the table?
The Guardians are focused on developing their core players, with Kwan being a key part of their strategy. Drafted in the fifth round in 2018, Kwan has been a standout performer since his 2022 debut. He's a four-time Gold Glove winner in left field, an All-Star for the past two years, and boasts a career batting average of .281. He also has 73 steals in 91 attempts.
What Kwan needs is more support from his teammates. He's not the power-hitting type of leadoff hitter, unlike some of his peers. Let's look at some examples:
- Shohei Ohtani: .284, 51 homers, 93 RBI
- Byron Buxton: .272, 29, 67
- Francisco Lindor: .257, 26, 63
- Fernando Tatis: .271, 25, 71
- Corbin Carroll: .259, 23, 49
- Trent Grisham: .202, 23, 43
(Stats are from the 2025 season)
Kwan's traditional approach still delivers results. He led leadoff hitters in hits (170), games played (156), doubles (29), and ranked fifth in RBI (56).
To understand what Kwan might seek in an extension, let's consider some comparable contracts. Trent Grisham is on a one-year deal after accepting a qualifying offer of $22.025 million. Byron Buxton signed a seven-year, $100 million deal, currently paying him $15 million annually. Corbin Carroll signed an eight-year, $111 million extension, earning $10 million this season. Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers pays him $70 million annually, with most deferred. Fernando Tatis's 14-year, $340 million deal earns him $20 million this year, and Lindor's 10-year, $341 million contract pays him $32 million this year.
While the Guardians won't be matching those mega-deals, Jonathan India's one-year, $8 million deal and Jarren Duran's $7.75 million deal could be starting points for Kwan's extension.
Guardians fans have seen this scenario play out before. The conclusion to Kwan's story, unless something unexpected happens, is likely already written.
What do you think? Will the Guardians find a way to keep Kwan long-term, or is a trade inevitable? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Additional Notes:
- The Guardians signed an Italian reliever to a minor league deal.
- The team is looking to add a hitter before opening day.
- The Guardians took infielder Travis Bazzana No. 1 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Names to Remember:
- INF Christian Arroyo (signed a minor league deal with the Mets).
- OF Ben Gamel (signed a minor league deal with the Braves).
- RHP Zak Kent (claimed on waivers by Texas).
- C Eric Haase (signed a minor league deal with the Giants).
- Free agent RHP Lucas Giolito (drawing interest from Detroit).
