The Cleveland Guardians are supposedly going to consider trading Steven Kwan this offseason.
But if so, where have the rumors gone?
The World Series ended more than a week ago, but there’s been little to no buzz about a Kwan trade.
Sure, there are still speculative articles naming trade candidates going more off of vibes than off of in-depth reporting, but there isn’t a lot being said by writers in Cleveland or by national insiders about what might happen with Kwan.
Yes, it’s early, but it’s a slowing of the pace from the last year-plus, when it seemed like at every turn Kwan’s name was involved in a trade rumor.
Steven Kwan Trade Outlook
The Guardians could still trade Kwan. It’s a long offseason.
There’s just nothing to suggest at the moment that a deal is imminent, and in this particular winter calendar for baseball, it could get more confusing in a hurry.
There will almost certainly be a lockout kicking in on Dec. 1, and that would stop teams and players from communicating with one another — and stop teams from negotiating with other teams on potential trades.
If Kwan remains a Guardians player at the end of November, there’s no telling when a collective bargaining agreement may be reached that would allow Cleveland to start considering its options with Kwan.
Even if Cleveland wants to extend Kwan, that can’t happen in the midst of a lockout. This has the potential to be a very odd offseason for the Guardians’ leadoff hitter as he and the whole Cleveland fanbase wonder about his future.
Why Guardians Would Trade Steven Kwan
The Guardians would trade Kwan because it fits their general approach as he enters the last year of his contract.
If Cleveland doesn’t feel it can pay a player enough to get an extension done, a trade is the one way to recoup value for a player who could otherwise leave for nothing in free agency — in this case for Kwan, at the end of the 2027 season when he would become a free agent.
The Guardians could also keep Kwan until the trade deadline and try to move him then, but if Cleveland is having a strong season at that point, it’d be tough to justify moving him.
As an on-paper move, it would make sense for the Guardians to trade Kwan. It’d just be a tough pill to swallow as far as how it impacts the roster itself, as well as the fans who have grown to love Kwan during his time in Cleveland.
Guardians’ Steven Kwan Trade Outlook Slows