The Guardians are trying a familiar fix at the top of the order, and it could wind up putting Steven Kwan in a better place to do what he does best.
Cleveland had turned to Travis Bazzana in the leadoff spot at the end of May, a move that made sense given how thin the lineup had looked there. For a rookie who was still less than a month into his MLB career, it was a big ask. Even so, Bazzana mostly handled it and gave the Guardians some production at the top.
Lately, though, the results have cooled off. Bazzana came into Saturday hitting .203/.297/.418 in 21 June games, and that slump was enough for the Guardians to make a change. On Saturday, they bumped him out of the leadoff spot and put Kwan back where he started the season.
That move comes with some obvious disappointment attached to Bazzana’s slide, but it also gives Cleveland a chance to reset with a hitter who is more comfortable setting the table.
Kwan’s season line has been rough: .210/.319/.256 entering play tonight. That .256 slugging percentage is the lowest among qualified hitters, and his 70 wRC+ ranks fourth from the bottom. The power hasn’t been there, and the overall production has lagged.
But Kwan has still done one important thing well - he gets on base. He has a .316 on-base percentage this season, and in the 35 games he spent lower in the batting order, he reached at a .345 clip.
Stephen Vogt pointed to that when explaining the switch, while also saying he felt Kwan had been “ swinging the bat better ” lately. Kwan was 1-for-8 in the two games he hit leadoff against Seattle.
What makes Kwan such an unusual case right now is how extreme the profile has become. He has whiffed on just 8.5% of the pitches he has seen, the best rate in baseball, but he has also barreled only one ball this season, which is tied for the second-lowest total in baseball.
At his peak, that elite bat-to-ball skill let him spray hits all over the field. The contact ability is still there. The hits just haven’t followed in the same way.
Even so, the move back to leadoff gives Cleveland a chance to tap into that skill set again. Bazzana had shown some pop - including his first career multi-homer game nine days ago in a win over the Astros - but he went just 2-for-20 over the next five games before losing the job.
Kwan’s value hasn’t disappeared either. He’s still been a useful piece for the Guardians thanks to his defense, which has been worth 5 Outs Above Average. And with José Ramírez out, Cleveland’s offense is already operating with limited margin for error.
For now, the Guardians are betting that putting Kwan back atop the lineup can help them squeeze a little more out of an offense that needs it.
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