“As we sit here today, we’re expecting Steven Kwan to be a big part of a contending team next year,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told reporters during the team’s season wrap-up press conference after the ALCS. This was something less than a confirmation that Kwan will be back with the Guards in 2027, and it could indeed be that Kwan’s “contending team” plays somewhere other than Cleveland.
The Guardians have made a habit of winning without much offense in recent years, and the club’s collective 97 wRC+ (ranking 22nd in baseball) in 2026 was no exception. Trading one of their most dependable hitters therefore doesn’t make too much sense on paper for the Guardians, especially when the outfield in particular has been a weak link, and Kwan adds a ton of defensive value beyond his contributions at the plate.
That said, trading an increasingly expensive veteran a year or two prior to free agency has long been a favored tactic of the Guardians’ front office (not to mention other consistently small-market teams like the Brewers or Rays). Kwan is projected to earn $11.3MM in his final season of arbitration eligibility, before he is slated to hit the open market next winter. Unless Kwan is open to a very team-friendly extension a la Jose Ramirez, chances are Kwan will be playing for another team by 2028 anyway, so trading him now would allow Cleveland to again restock the roster for both 2027 and the future.
Even as the Guardians have been in playoff contention, there has already been a lot of trade buzz surrounding Kwan in the past couple of years. The Phillies, Padres, Dodgers, Blue Jays, and Reds were all reportedly interested in Kwan at the 2025 trade deadline, so Antonetti and company might already have an idea of what suitors are willing to offer for the two-time All-Star. MLB Trade Rumors ranked Kwan 11th on our list of the offseason’s top 40 candidates.
It is also worth noting that Kwan’s bat has been somewhat inconsistent. Kwan posted a 122 wRC+ in his 2022 rookie season, but subsequently delivered a 99 wRC+ in 2023, a 130 wRC+ in 2024, a 98 wRC+ in 2025, and then a 114 wRC+ this year. Even in 2026, Kwan had a Jekyll-and-Hyde season — he had an ugly .614 OPS over his first 354 plate appearances, but then rebounded for an .875 OPS in his 283 PA after the All-Star break.
This streaky hitting is perhaps par for the course for a player who makes very little hard contact and hits for very little power. Kwan’s game is built around taking walks (and his 13.3% walk rate in 2026 was a career high) and putting the ball in play almost as often as any player in baseball. Apart from the offensive skillset, Kwan won four Gold Gloves for his elite work in left field from 2022-25, and he delivered more strong glovework in both left and center field in 2026 when the Guards basically split Kwan’s time between the two positions.
The looming lockout adds another wrinkle to Cleveland’s plans, and perhaps adds to the possibility that Kwan might not be dealt at all. According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, rival teams could be “unlikely” to trade prospects prior to December 1 for players with only one year of team control, simply because a lengthy lockout could cut into the 2027 season itself.
One work-around for clubs like the Guardians would be to offer Kwan for another player with one year of control, in more of a classic need-for-need baseball trade than as a way of amassing younger talent. Since this doesn’t meet the Guardians’ preferred model of deals, the Guards could prefer to just keep Kwan at least through a lockout, and see how things stand once the offseason eventually gets back underway.
With all of this in mind, let’s break down the other 29 teams to see who lines up best as a possible Kwan suitor…
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Not Likely
The Rockies and Angels are rebuilding. The Cardinals and Nationals performed better than expected in what was expected to be a rebuilding year in 2026, but acquiring Kwan doesn’t really fit what either team is planning for 2027. The Guardians probably wouldn’t automatically hang up the phone if the Royals, Twins, Tigers, or White Sox came calling on Kwan, but barring a real knockout offer, it’s hard to imagine Cleveland moving Kwan to a division rival.
The Brewers have Jackson Chourio and Garrett Mitchell in left and center, so the World Series champs have no real need for Kwan. The A’s have Tyler Soderstrom in left field and Henry Bolte and Denzel Clarke in center field, plus the Athletics have a much bigger need for pitching help. The Red Sox also have a loaded outfield in Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu, and if anything, will be looking to trade from their outfield mix by moving Jarren Duran. The Mets have Juan Soto, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing as their starting outfield, and moving Soto into a full-time DH role to accommodate Kwan probably isn’t happening.
The Past Trade Suitors
Of the five teams previously linked to Kwan, two seem less likely to keep exploring a trade. Josue De Paula’s emergence is only further crowding the Dodgers’ outfield, to the point that Teoscar Hernandez is another plausible outfield trade chip as the team looks to create lineup space for De Paula. The Reds could badly use Kwan to help stabilize their shaky outfield, but giving up a significant trade package for a player with one year of control might not align with Cincinnati’s own approach as a lower-spending team.
The Blue Jays could use Kwan in either left or center field, if Anthony Santander is kept as a primary DH or Brett Bateman is used more in a part-time role than as an everyday outfielder. Toronto figures to be exploring the outfield market but might prefer a slugger, given how the Jays lacked in the power department last year. The Phillies have power but need more contact from their lineup, and Kwan is a big defensive upgrade to Philadelphia’s outfield, so Brandon Marsh or Justin Crawford could be moved over to right field to accommodate Kwan. The Padres have a big hole to fill in left field and Kwan would be an ideal fit.
Swinging a deal for Kwan is absolutely within the purview for any of these latter three teams, who are in clear win-now mode. For what it’s worth, Antonetti has completed multiple trades with both Padres president of baseball ops A.J. Preller and Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins over the years.
Other Candidates
Astros: The Astros are badly in need of both outfielders and left-handed hitters. Yordan Alvarez is provisionally projected for left field duty given Houston’s infield surplus, but it is way more likely that the slugger is more or less an everyday DH. Of the Astros’ infielders, Jeremy Pena is also a free agent after 2027 but the Astros have no obvious way of replacing Pena at shortstop unless Carlos Correa is moved back to the position. That means a fun Pena-for-Kwan deal probably isn’t realistic, but could a trade involving Kwan and Isaac Paredes be a possibility?
Braves: Mike Yastrzemski and Jurickson Profar are lined up for platoon duty in left field, except Yaz struggled in 2026 and Profar missed the entire season on a PED suspension. Since it’s possible Profar could be released entirely, acquiring Kwan makes sense for the Braves as a way to stabilize left field, as Yastrzemski could then be used in right field whenever Ronald Acuna Jr. needs a DH day.
Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong has center field locked up in Wrigleyville, but the left field spot is wide open since Ian Happ is a free agent. With Seiya Suzuki also hitting the open market, Chicago is expected to use Matt Shaw for one corner outfield vacancy, but if both Happ and Suzuki leave, bringing a veteran like Kwan on board is a logical move that will keep the Cubs’ elite defense in place.
Diamondbacks: Arizona has a stated need for left-handed hitting. Lars Nootbaar is lined up as the regular left fielder but could be moved to DH, or Kwan could play center field. The D’Backs want to find at-bats for Jordan Lawlar and Ryan Waldschmidt, but the open DH spot gives the team some flexibility in pursuing someone like Kwan, if a trade can be worked out with Cleveland.
Giants: Casey Schmitt and Drew Gilbert project as the regulars in left and center field, assuming Marcelo Mayer plays well enough at second base to keep Schmitt in a corner outfield role. It’s not the greatest of combinations and Kwan would certainly be a big upgrade, but the Giants may be more apt to spend their trade capital to address larger needs on the pitching staff. San Francisco has been unwilling to invest heavily in pitching, so if the team prefers to acquire arms via trade, the Giants could spend on a bigger free agent bat in the outfield.
Mariners: Returning to Morosi’s report, would something like a Kwan-for-Logan Gilbert deal make sense? Gilbert’s projected arb salary of $15.4MM is higher than Kwan’s, but he’d be a high-end way for the Guardians to bolster an already-strong rotation. Realistically, Gilbert is less of a fit for Cleveland than Kwan would be for Seattle, as left fielder Randy Arozarena is expected to leave in free agency.
Marlins: Kwan would be a nice add for a club looking for corner outfield options, plus Kwan can fill in as a center fielder since Jakob Marsee is expected to miss some time early in the season while he recovers from internal brace surgery. The Marlins have been a borderline contender in each of the last two seasons but making a trade for an All-Star player with one year of team control might not be something the club is ready or willing to do just yet.
Orioles: Baltimore is in the awkward position of being a little crowded in terms of position players, but with a lot of uncertainty about basically the entire group save for Pete Alonso. To this end, the O’s are reportedly open to at least discussing everyone but Alonso, which opens the door for the Guardians and other teams to explore all manner of interesting trade possibilities. Acquiring Kwan would make for a first-choice outfield entirely comprised of left-handed hitters (with Kwan joining Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers), but that might be a secondary concern for the Orioles behind the bigger-picture desire to improve their average, defense, and contact hitting.
Pirates: Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz have left and center field spoken for in Pittsburgh, and right field projects as a timeshare between Ryan O’Hearn and Esmerlyn Valdez. It’s probably safe to rule the Bucs out on Kwan, though there is a world where the Pirates land the Gold Glover and move Reynolds or Cruz over to right field, thus improving the outfield defense by a large margin.
Rangers: Evan Carter won’t be ready for Opening Day due to a recent hip surgery, plus Carter still hasn’t fully established himself over parts of four MLB seasons. Texas can use Wyatt Langford in either left or center field but Langford is better suited for a corner slot, so bringing Kwan in to handle center field makes a lot of sense.
Rays: The like-minded Guardians and Rays have lined up on several trades in the past, even if Cleveland is still smarting from losing Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz. Tampa Bay might also be moving to move some salaries in order to reload on cheaper and more controllable talent, but the Rays do have a vacancy in center field since Cedric Mullins is unlikely to be re-signed.
Yankees: Between Aaron Judge, Spencer Jones, Cody Bellinger, and Jasson Dominguez, the Bronx outfield is already pretty crowded. The DH spot provides little relief since Giancarlo Stanton is still around, plus Luis Garcia Jr. and Ben Rice will be splitting first base/DH duties if Garcia isn’t given another look at second base. The jury is still out on whether or not Jones can hold his own defensively in center field, so while it’s not out of the question that Kwan could be targeted, the Yankees probably will focus more on their infield needs.
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