Steven Kwan’s season in Cleveland had a little bit of everything: a slow start, trade rumors, even noise about a bizarre trip to the minors that never happened. He slipped out of the leadoff role, his bat lagged early, and the chatter around him got louder than the production.
Then he settled in and changed the shape of his year. Kwan found his timing, started covering the entire strike zone, and began doing damage both by pulling pitches in the zone and sending balls on the outer half back the other way. By the end of the season, he had turned in a 114 wRC+, his best mark since 2024, and even offered some moments in the postseason despite a 67 wRC+ there.
That rebound helped fuel a strong finish for the Guardians, and Kwan was right in the middle of it. He worked his way back to the top of the order and became the spark for an offense that caught fire.
What stands out now is how he’s talking about what’s next. Kwan pointed to the team’s younger wave of players and sounded genuinely energized by what he saw around him.
“We had a lot of different personnel than years before,” Kwan said, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “We had a lot of young guys stepping up into those roles.
It was really fun to be a part of. Winning baseball games can look different at times, and we won them in a lot of different fashions.
I’m excited for the future.”
That’s notable because Kwan is still viewed as a trade candidate. Cleveland hasn’t been able to extend him yet, and he’s set to enter his contract year in 2027. The Guardians can go a few different directions from here: trade him in the offseason, try to lock him up long term, or keep him through 2027 and risk losing him for nothing.
For now, though, he remains a key piece and is speaking like someone who sees real possibility in what’s being built. Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez, Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, Cade Smith, Ralphy Velazquez, and Patrick Bailey all have a chance to be part of that picture, and Kwan knows it.
Whether he’s still around to see it through is another question entirely.
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That leaves the quarterback conversation getting harder by the week. Deshaun Watson has given Cleveland strong fourth-quarter play, but the early-game inconsistency is still part of the equation, and the idea of turning to backup Shedeur Sanders keeps hovering over the situation. If the Browns keep winning, Monken may be forced to weigh whether changing quarterbacks is worth the risk of disrupting a streak that has already bought the team some breathing room. [Read more 🡒]
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Deshaun Watson and Todd Monken have both framed that shift as a matter of matchups and game situations rather than a sign of concern, with the offense spreading the ball around as opponents try to take away different options. Fannin has kept the focus on helping the Browns win, even if the individual numbers are quieter than they were a year ago, and that makes his place in the offense a little more intriguing as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Still Have One Clear Trade Deadline Need Up Front
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A proven interior lineman would give Cleveland something it has not consistently had this season, and the trade market could offer a few interesting names if the Browns decide to act. Quenton Nelson, Landon Dickerson and Ben Bredeson are among the possibilities being floated, and each would fit the profile of a move aimed at stabilizing the middle of the line rather than chasing a more cosmetic fix. [Read more 🡒]