Terry Francona’s history with Steven Kwan could wind up shaping the Guardians’ offseason in a very big way.
That might sound a little strange at first, considering Kwan has spent more games with Stephen Vogt as his manager than he did with Francona. But the connection goes back to Kwan’s first call-up, when he immediately became a fixture at the top of Francona’s lineup and a steady voice on a young team still finding its footing, all while Francona watched from his stool near the top of the Guardians’ dugout.
Francona moved on after 2023, but the progress Kwan made under him carried into his three seasons with Vogt. During that stretch, Kwan added two more Gold Gloves and earned the first two All-Star selections of his career.
Now the question is whether that old relationship could matter again.
Kwan is set to be one of the biggest storylines of Cleveland’s offseason. He has just one year of team control left and could make a shade over $11 million in arbitration. The Guardians have shown before they’re willing to move players at this stage of their careers - Francisco Lindor is one of the clearest recent examples - though president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said last week that he expects Kwan to be a “big part” of what the Guardians are building for 2027.
Even so, it’s tough to believe the club won’t at least kick around trade possibilities. Kwan got off to a rough start to 2026, but from July on he posted an MLB-leading .445 on-base percentage.
And one potential landing spot jumps off the page: Francona’s Cincinnati Reds.
The Reds finished last season 75-87, and their outfield was a major reason why. That group combined for -5.3 wins above average, the third-worst mark in MLB. They do have a couple of fringe big-league outfield options in JJ Bleday and Dane Myers, but otherwise the picture is thin.
Money could be the obstacle. That’s the same issue that may be slowing any Cleveland extension talks with Kwan, and it would also be the biggest thing working against a Reds pursuit. Cincinnati will have close to $41 million coming off the books for 2027, but it operates on one of the tightest budgets in baseball and usually doesn’t go after impending free agents with eight-figure contracts.
Still, if there were a player worth forcing them out of character, Kwan would be high on the list. He has the Francona connection, and he brings exactly what the Reds need: a high on-base presence at the top of the lineup.
A lot can still happen this offseason, but the Reds’ interest in Kwan doesn’t feel like something that’s going away anytime soon.
In Other News...
Guardians May Have A 2027 Rotation Answer Emerging Late
Austin Petersons late-season run gave the Guardians a useful look at a pitcher who may fit somewhere in their plans beyond this October. In the final regular-season game, he covered the last five innings and helped save the bullpen for the postseason, a practical assignment that also happened to showcase the kind of versatility Cleveland tends to value. His appearances suggested real upside, and his background as a minor league starter only adds to the intrigue.
With the pitching staff still unsettled behind the top three starters, Peterson has put himself into the mix for a bigger role down the line. Whether that path leads back into a rotation conversation or into a bullpen job, he has given the organization something it did not necessarily have a few weeks ago: a reason to keep watching his development closely. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Could Exploit Angels Chaos To Strengthen Their Biggest Advantage
The Guardians already dipped into the Angels roster once by landing outfielder Jo Adell for minor league catcher Jacob Cozart, and that move may have only sharpened the focus on what else could be available as Los Angeles sorts through its usual roster churn. Cleveland has made a habit of building around run prevention and pitching depth, so any chance to add another arm from a team under pressure naturally stands out.
Reid Detmers is the name that keeps surfacing as a possible fit, especially after a strong recent season showed what he can look like when everything clicks. The appeal for Cleveland is obvious: a starter with upside, some track record and a profile that could slot into a rotation built on consistency. The catch is the same one that always comes with talent of this kind, since his remaining club control is limited and theres no indication a deal is anywhere close. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Already Face A Tough Call On Four Familiar Names
The Guardians offseason got moving quickly with four familiar names electing free agency from last years roster: Austin Hedges, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe and Foster Griffin. Even before the market really gets going, Cleveland has a few obvious holes to sort through, including first base, backup catcher and a spot in the pitching rotation, which gives this next stretch a little more urgency than usual.
How the front office handles those decisions will say plenty about the direction of the roster. Griffin appears to be the most appealing option among the group, while Hoskins looks like the least likely to come back, and the rest of the picture may be shaped as much by the market as by the Guardians own preferences. For a club trying to keep its offseason on track, it is the kind of early test that can quietly define everything that follows. [Read more 🡒]