At the MLB trade deadline, the Cleveland Guardians were involved in a lot of trade rumors surrounding Gold Glove outfielder Steven Kwan.
While the veteran left fielder stayed in Cleveland past the trade deadline, there is still speculation that the Guardians could deal him in the offseason. He’d likely fetch a strong return, so a trade isn’t too unrealistic.
However, for Cade Cracas of Away Back Gone of Fansided, the Guardians shouldn’t make such a decision. Instead, they should keep Kwan and look to capitalize on his time in Cleveland.
Why Kwan Should Stay
Trading Kwan has a lot of reasons, as it could save a ton of money in the long term, as well as net a strong package of prospects. However, there are also plenty of reasons why the Guardians shouldn’t make such a trade.
“Kwan is still under control by the team for two more seasons, and is the team’s most reliever player outside of Jose Ramirez.” Cracas writes. “Kwan’s slashed .284/.355/.396 for his career, and has been worth 16.1 bWAR across those four seasons. Those are the kind of numbers you get from a franchise cornerstone.”
Kwan’s impact doesn’t just end at his offensive production and years of control. He’s also an incredible defender, winning three Gold Gloves and being in contention for another in 2025.
While the Guardians could land a strong haul for Kwan, the after-effects of trading a franchise player like Kwan would be stark. Cracas explains why any return wouldn’t be worth it for Cleveland, even if it’s an incredible prospect haul.
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“Unless the Guardians want to tear down their roster and start from scratch,” Cracas writes, “any potential trade return wouldn’t make up for the value that he brings to the team, city, and dugout on a daily basis.”
Moving on from Kwan would leave the current Guardians players reeling. It would indicate to the team that the front office doesn’t believe in them to contend; otherwise, why would they trade Kwan?
Such a scenario, after not being dealt at the trade deadline, seems unlikely to happen. But, there’s still speculation, and the Guardians might still be open to moving on from Kwan in the offseason for the right price.
If they do trade Kwan, it’d be a sad end to this version of the Guardians. While Ramirez would still be on the team, between Kwan leaving, Emmanuel Clase being suspended, and Shane Bieber being dealt, the times would be changing in Cleveland, despite being a postseason contender just a year ago.
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