The Cleveland Guardians have won eight of their last 10 games, and their standing as the trade deadline nears remains unclear.
Just a few weeks ago, many would have considered the Guardians, led by third base superstar Jose Ramirez, as potential sellers at the deadline. Their hot stretch pulled them within 2.5 games of the third and final American League Wild Card spot.
As the 29 other front offices around the league wait to see what decision the Guardians make when it comes to buying or selling, it appears the obvious choice would be not to give up on the season. There are too many games left to play. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Buster Olney emphasized that Cleveland’s left fielder, Steven Kwan, is “unlikely” to be dealt. Regardless, a report from an additional Major League Baseball insider indicates multiple National League teams have interest in Kwan.
Padres and Phillies Intrigued by Kwan
On Wednesday, The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported on X that the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies are two of the teams that have expressed interest in trading for Kwan.
“Many teams are calling about All-Star Steven Kwan, but while the Guardians are listening in on him (and their relief stars [Emmanuel] Clase and [Cade] Smith), understandably, it would have to be quite a compelling offer,” wrote Heyman on his personal X account. “Cleveland also has a favorable closing schedule.”
Kwan is under team control for an additional two seasons after 2025 and is hitting .285/.349/.392 with six home runs, 33 RBI, and a .742 OPS in 95 games this season. The Padres and Phillies desperately need offensive help in the outfield, and although Kwan does not offer much in the power department, anything would be an upgrade in left field.
“The Phillies and Padres are two teams that desperately need to upgrade their production out of left field. They are tied for 25th in FanGraphs’ WAR from their left fielders (minus-0.3),” Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells wrote Wednesday.
Kwan’s 9.2 whiff rate and 8.4 strikeout rate rank in the 100th and 99th percentile in MLB, respectively. He’s won three consecutive Gold Glove Awards for his stellar defense in left field during his young career, accumulating an outs above average (OAA) of five in 2024.
Which Team Needs Kwan More?
As Olney pointed out, Kwan may not switch teams at the deadline, but an offer may come across Cleveland Guardians general Manager Mike Chernoff’s desk that is too attractive to pass up.
This year, offseason signee Max Kepler has played the most innings in left field for the Phillies, and while he does have some pop in his bat (11 home runs in 90 games), his .203/.300/.366 slash line and 83 OPS+ are hard to ignore.
The Philadelphia Phillies probably prefer to hold on to top pitching prospect Andrew Painter, and outfielder Justin Crawford, son of Carl, is approaching a Major League promotion as early as this year. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski will prove how badly he wants to win if he deals any of Philadelphia’s highly rated minor leaguers.
The San Diego Padres’ left fielders this season, consisting of 10 players, most notably Gavin Sheets and the released Jason Heyward, have produced a poor .227/.289/.335 slash line with 16 home runs in 103 games. Left field could be their most significant need at the trade deadline as they gear up for what they hope to be a deep postseason run.
NL Contenders Interested in Guardians’ All-Star Outfielder: Report