Steven

Kwan

Kwan led off the fourth inning with a single off of Clay Holmes and came around to score the Guardians’ first run on an RBI knock off the bat of Kyle Manzardo. He then delivered the biggest hit of the night with a go-ahead two-out RBI single off of Tyler Rogers in the seventh that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. With his two-hit attack, the 27-year-old professional hitter is now slashing .285/.346/.400 with nine long balls, 39 RBI and 11 stolen bases on the season.

There’s been plenty of talk about the Guardians being willing to move Kwan, but now it sounds like it’s a priority; perhaps in an effort to “sell high” on the outfielder. Bieber also makes sense as a player who makes money for a team that doesn’t like spending it and is on the outskirts of contention. The right-hander is returning from Tommy John surgery and has completed four rehab starts, so he could help a team for the playoff push. Bieber has a $16 million club options and $4 million buyout for 2026.

Kwan has been “drawing a ton of interest...with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres believed to be among the teams in the mix.” He’s earning just $4.175 million this season and has two more years of club control, but the Guardians are unlikely to sign him when he becomes a free agent, so they will eventually trade him away and try to recoup value rather than losing him on the market for free. Whether that comes this week, over the offseason, or next trade deadline is anybody’s guess, but the countdown has begun.

A trade still doesn’t seem especially likely. Even if the Guardians are out of it this year, a Kwan trade would be a major blow to their chances of contending in 2026 and 2027, something that should give them serious pause. Moving on from their second-best player as they threaten to waste what will probably be José Ramírez’s final years as an elite player just doesn’t seem like a good idea.

Kwan has three homers in three games after hitting a total of six in his first 95 games. He’s batting .292/.433/.667 in 30 plate appearances since the All-Star break.

Both homers from Kwan came off Charlie Morton, and both were solo shots. He also drew a walk to improve his slash .287/.353/.410 while upping his homer total to eight with 35 RBI. The 27-year-old has been the subject of trade rumors, but it seems very unlikely he’ll be playing anywhere but Cleveland for the remainder of 2025. One can’t help but wonder what he could do at the top of a better lineup, however.

Kwan gave Cleveland the lead with a two-out, tie-breaking single to left in the eighth inning. The 27-year-old All-Star left fielder was linked to the Padres and Phillies in a report earlier on Wednesday from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, but it would take a significant haul to pry him from the Guardians, especially since he’s under club control through 2027.

Kwan is back atop Cleveland’s lineup following a three-game absence recovering from a lingering right wrist issue that required an anti-inflammatory injection during last week’s All-Star break. It’s an encouraging sign that he’s feeling ready to return without requiring a trip to the injured list.

Kwan will sit out his third consecutive contest after receiving an anti-inflammatory injection during the All-Star break to address a lingering right wrist injury. The 27-year-old outfielder figures to be ready to return for Monday’s series opener against the Orioles, but that’s not a lock at the moment.

Kwan will sit out his second straight contest after receiving an anti-inflammatory injection during the All-Star break to address a lingering right wrist injury. The 27-year-old outfielder might wind up sitting out a few additional games, but we’re not forecasting an extended absence. It’ll be Nolan Jones taking over in left field on Saturday afternoon in his absence.