As the 2026 season pushes toward the finish line, the Guardians have one eye on the postseason race and another on a decision that could shape their next move in a big way. Cleveland is trying to lock down a playoff berth and the AL Central title, but the bigger long-range question may be what happens with Steven Kwan.
That debate is already out there. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report raised the possibility of the Guardians trading Kwan, asking, "Cleveland Guardians: Will they trade Steven Kwan?" Kelly added, "They've flirted with moving Steven Kwan before, and with the two-time All-Star set to become a free agent after the 2027 season, this might be the offseason to pull the trigger."
It’s the kind of question that doesn’t come with an easy answer. Kwan has become a fan favorite and remains one of the most recognizable players on the roster, but his contract situation puts Cleveland in a tough spot. Heading into the final year of his deal next offseason, he could be viewed as a logical trade piece if the Guardians decide they’d rather not let the clock run out.
His 2026 season has only made the conversation more complicated. Kwan, now 29, hasn’t been as sharp at the plate as usual, even while still delivering strong overall value.
He owns a .279 batting average and a .722 OPS, both a touch below his career numbers, though not by much. On the other hand, he has posted a 5.0 bWAR, one of the best marks of his MLB career.
That creates the central tension for Cleveland: Kwan has been good, just not quite at his usual offensive level, and he has only one more year of club control left. If the Guardians don’t extend him before next offseason, they’d be staring at the possibility of losing him for nothing.
For a team that usually avoids carrying huge contracts, the choice may come down to business as much as baseball. Cleveland could try to work out a long-term extension before next offseason, or it could move Kwan this upcoming offseason and try to maximize his value while it still can.
Either path would make sense in its own way. And that’s what makes this such a fascinating question for the Guardians: a trade wouldn’t be shocking, but keeping Kwan in Cleveland wouldn’t be a surprise either.
In Other News...
Guardians Rookie Just Delivered The Response Cleveland Needed Most
Petey Halpin gave Cleveland exactly the kind of night a young player can use to change the conversation. After an early defensive misplay, the rookie answered with the biggest swing of the game, a go-ahead three-run homer against the White Sox that helped the Guardians beat Chicago 6-3 and move into first place in the AL Central. It was the sort of response teams remember, especially from a player still trying to carve out his place on a club with real division ambitions.
Halpins night carried a little extra weight because of the matchup, too. He had not done much against left-handed pitching before, but he came through with his first home run off a lefty and added key hits along the way, drawing praise from teammates and coaches for the way he handled the moment. For Cleveland, it was more than a promising rookie performance. It was the kind of contribution that can steady a dugout and hint at what the Guardians might have in him going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Just Grabbed Back First Place At The Perfect Time
Parker Messick and Anthony Kay gave the night an immediate feel of a game that would be shaped on the margins, and for a while that is exactly how it played. Cleveland and Chicago matched up with both starters leaning on the same trends they had shown against this opponent all season, before the Guardians found a third-inning breakthrough and started stacking enough contact and pressure to turn it their way.
Jo Adell, Tommy Pham, Petey Halpin and Jose all helped push the inning-to-inning advantage along, while the bullpen piece mattered just as much once the lead was in hand. Hagen Smith, Sean Newcomb and Hunter Gaddis each had a hand in the late work, and for Cleveland the bigger picture was as important as the box score: a win like this came at exactly the right moment in a tight race, with first place back within reach again. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Have An Unexpected Tigers Subplot In The AL Central Race
The AL Central race has taken a few strange turns lately, and the Tigers have become part of the Guardians backdrop in a way nobody would have expected a month ago. Detroits early-August sell-off, followed by Riley Greenes hamstring injury, helped knock the Tigers off course, and the club has spent much of the stretch drifting on the edge of contention while Cleveland keeps pressing for a postseason spot.
Greenes return has added another wrinkle, because his recent production has helped stabilize a lineup that went through a rough patch after his injury. For the Guardians, the interest is less about Detroit than about the ripple effect in the standings, where every Tigers result can still matter as Cleveland tries to stay in the race. The odd part is that one of the divisions most watched players now has a chance to shape the path of a team that isnt his own. [Read more 🡒]