Guardians May Have Erred in Keeping Steven Kwan

Cleveland's star outfielder has struggled so far in 2026 after a down 2025 season.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 1:50pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball player's batting motion broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color, conceptually representing the nuances of assessing a player's offensive decline.A cubist interpretation of a struggling hitter's swing highlights the complexities of evaluating player performance.Cleveland Today

The Cleveland Guardians opted not to trade outfielder Steven Kwan last season despite rumors he was on the trade block, but Kwan's performance has declined since his strong 2024 campaign, leading to questions about whether the Guardians made the right decision in holding onto him.

Why it matters

Kwan was an All-Star caliber player in 2024, but his offensive numbers have dropped significantly over the past two seasons. If the Guardians had traded Kwan when his value was higher, they may have been able to acquire valuable assets in return.

The details

Kwan's OPS has gone from .793 in 2024 to .704 in 2025 and is currently at just .628 so far in 2026. His batting average has also declined from .292 in 2024 to .272 in 2025 and .241 this season. Kwan's struggles are partly due to his below-average exit velocity and bat speed, which rank in the 1st percentile league-wide.

  • Kwan had a strong 2024 season.
  • Trade rumors surrounding Kwan surfaced at the 2025 MLB trade deadline.
  • The Guardians opted not to trade Kwan at the 2025 deadline.
  • Kwan's offensive numbers have declined in 2025 and 2026.

The players

Steven Kwan

A left-handed hitting outfielder for the Cleveland Guardians who won a Gold Glove in 2024 but has seen his offensive production decline over the past two seasons.

Cleveland Guardians

The Major League Baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio that decided to hold onto Kwan at the 2025 trade deadline despite his declining performance.

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What they’re saying

“Kwan might still rebound. He might still be traded, or not. The Guardians might still come out on the best side of whatever decision they make.”

— Billy Heyen, Author

What’s next

The Guardians will have to decide whether to trade Kwan this offseason or hold onto him and hope he can regain his 2024 form.

The takeaway

The Guardians' decision to hold onto Kwan at the 2025 trade deadline is looking questionable as his offensive production has continued to decline. If Kwan does not rebound, the Guardians may have missed an opportunity to trade him when his value was higher.