Steven Kwan’s July surge has given the Guardians a problem they’ll gladly take: how to keep him in left field and keep his bat in the lineup without messing with what’s working.
For much of the first half, that wasn’t the conversation around Kwan at all. He opened the season with three rough months, got bumped out of the leadoff spot, and even sparked real questions about where things were headed with Cleveland.
July has flipped the script. He’s been the most productive hitter in baseball this month, and while Kwan isn’t rushing to say he’s fully back, the version showing up now looks a lot like the All-Star Guardians fans know - the one who sprays hits all over the field and vacuums everything in the grass.
A big piece of that turnaround may be as simple as location. Cleveland tried moving Kwan into center field earlier in the season as part of its effort to patch up the outfield, even though he had already won the American League Gold Glove in left field in each of his first four big league seasons.
The defense held up, but the offense didn’t. Now he’s back where he’s most comfortable, and the results have been loud.
In July, Kwan has posted a .426/.523/.556 slashline in 18 games while playing almost entirely in left field. After beginning the month with three center-field starts in his first four appearances, Thursday marked his 14th straight game at left. The split tells the story too: after his 2-for-4 game against the Twins on Tuesday, Kwan owns a .685 OPS in 57 games in left compared to a .605 OPS in 50 games in center.
He backed that up again against Minnesota, turning in another multi-hit game at the top of Cleveland’s order and adding another highlight-reel catch in left.
Asked Vogt today about how Kwan hasn't been playing CF lately. Said he's sure we'll see him out there at some point, and it's in part a byproduct of the roster right now. But...
"But he is the best left fielder on the planet, and we're the best version of us when he's in left." https://t.co/z3EfBAWVlw
- Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) July 23, 2026
The Guardians have been able to keep Kwan planted in left thanks in part to Petey Halpin, but that setup could get trickier if Angel Martínez is activated from the injured list tomorrow. Martínez would bring needed offense, but he also struggled badly in center last year, which was one of the main reasons Cleveland moved Kwan there this season in the first place.
Before getting hurt, 43 of Martínez’s 64 appearances came in left field, so it would make sense for the Guardians to ease him back there. That could leave Halpin squeezed out, and Cleveland may have to decide whether it wants to make another move just to preserve Kwan’s current spot.
One possibility would be designating Rhys Hoskins for assignment and sliding Gabriel Arias into the right-handed side of the first-base platoon with Kyle Manzardo. Arias handled first base Thursday, his first appearance there since 2024, and that alone suggests the club is comfortable with him in the role.
However Cleveland sorts it out, the bigger picture is clear: these are the kinds of roster headaches teams want. Kwan is raking, the roster is getting healthier, and the Guardians now have to figure out how to keep both things going at once.
In Other News...
This Guardians Trade Idea Feels Like Exactly What Cleveland Needs
With the trade deadline approaching, Cleveland has been linked to the kind of move that would add some real flexibility to a roster still looking for a little more punch. The front office has already signaled that it wants to improve the club, and the fact that the Guardians and Giants have dealt with each other earlier this season only adds another layer to the possibility of another match between two teams that know each other a bit better than most.
What makes this idea stand out is the blend of offense and versatility on the table. The player in question is in the middle of his best season yet, and he has given San Francisco a useful bat while covering multiple spots around the diamond, including second base, third base, shortstop, first base and left field. For a Cleveland team that could use more balance and more options, that sort of profile is exactly the kind of fit that tends to make sense right up until the moment a deadline deal either comes together or slips away. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Finally Have One Last Chance To Cash In On Bo Naylor
Bo Naylors path in Cleveland has narrowed in a hurry. The Guardians have cut back his role, brought Patrick Bailey into the picture, and made it harder to see where Naylor fits long term, even as he has kept working in Triple-A with a respectable offensive showing since the demotion.
That has made him a name worth watching as the trade deadline approaches, especially with several clubs already taking a look. Cleveland may have one last window to turn Naylor into value, and Cooper Ingles rising trade appeal only adds another layer to what could become a broader roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Found Another Internal Pitching Answer
The Guardians player-development machine keeps turning out arms, and the latest name to watch is a right-hander who has moved quickly from the lower levels into the upper minors. Cleveland has long leaned on its ability to grow pitching internally, and this season has only reinforced that reputation as another prospect has put himself on the radar with a strong run in the system.
After climbing from High-A to Double-A and then on to Triple-A Columbus in short order, the pitcher has paired that rise with steady production, including a 2.61 ERA in 15 starts. The bigger question now is how Cleveland chooses to use him next, since a move to the bullpen could give the club another option for the stretch run and potentially help ease pressure before the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]