Steven Kwan’s Gold Glove streak is suddenly on shaky ground.
The Guardians outfielder has won the award in each of his first four major league seasons, and he’s back in the mix again after being named Wednesday as one of Cleveland’s only two American League finalists. But this year feels different. Kwan is no longer just defending left field - he spent spring training moving to center, and that switch has turned a familiar race into a much tougher one.
Kwan and pitcher Tanner Bibee are Cleveland’s lone finalists this time around, a steep drop from a year ago when the Guardians had twice as many names in the running. Kwan is chasing a fifth straight Gold Glove, which would move him past Kenny Lofton for the longest such streak by a Cleveland outfielder and leave him second only to Omar Vizquel’s eight among Guardians players.
The challenge, though, is obvious. Kwan split time this season between left and center, appearing in 98 games in left and 88 in center while finishing with 17 defensive runs saved.
Those are strong numbers for a player adjusting to a new spot, but Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela is the heavy favorite after putting up 21 defensive runs saved and 2.5 defensive wins above replacement. Texas’ Evan Carter is also in the field of finalists.
Cleveland’s decision to shift Kwan was deliberate. He gave up a position where he had become arguably the best defender in baseball so the club could get more flexibility in the outfield. The tradeoff was always going to come with some risk, and now that risk is sitting right in the middle of the Gold Glove vote.
Bibee gives the Guardians their other finalist, joining Texas right-hander Jacob deGrom and Los Angeles Angels right-hander José Soriano among AL pitchers.
What stands out even more than who made the list is who didn’t.
José Ramírez, a seven-time Gold Glove finalist who has never won the award, was left off this season’s ballot. That’s a notable omission for one of the league’s most consistently recognized third basemen, and it comes even as he remains one of Cleveland’s most decorated defensive players. The timing also adds another layer, since Ramírez made a costly fourth-inning error Tuesday in Game 2 of the ALCS against Tampa Bay, a play that helped open the door to three unearned runs in a 3-1 Guardians loss that tied the series.
That postseason mistake doesn’t affect Gold Glove voting, which is completed before October. Still, it was a fresh reminder that even Cleveland’s most reliable stars can have rough nights in the field.
Shortstop Brayan Rocchio also missed the finalist cut after being a Gold Glove finalist in 2024. And the overall reduction in Cleveland’s finalists marks a clear shift from 2025, when Kwan, Ramírez, Carlos Santana and Daniel Schneemann all got finalist nods. Kwan was the only one of that group to win.
Gold Glove winners are determined mostly by managers and coaches, whose votes make up 75% of the total. The SABR Defensive Index accounts for the other 25%.
So the real question now is whether Kwan’s reputation, versatility and years of elite work will be enough to offset Rafaela’s statistical edge.
In Other News...
Cade Smith Is Giving Cleveland A Bullpen Edge And A Real Debate
Cade Smith has become one of the Guardians most valuable bullpen pieces this October, and not just because of the results. He has appeared in all six playoff games, worked in a range of late-game spots for Stephen Vogt, and generally given Cleveland the kind of steady, high-leverage relief work that can swing a series. Hunter Gaddis has been part of that same bridge out of the bullpen, helping keep opponents from getting comfortable once the game gets into the final innings.
Smiths role has also created a real discussion inside the postseason script Cleveland is writing. He has only one save, which says plenty about how Vogt has deployed him and how flexible the Guardians have tried to be with their best arms. For a club trying to survive tight playoff baseball, the bullpen edge matters, and Smith is making sure Cleveland has one even as the debate over how to label that job keeps growing. [Read more 🡒]
Nathaniel Lowe Is Showing Cleveland Why This Deadline Bet Mattered
Nathaniel Lowe arrived in Cleveland just before the August 3 trade deadline as part of a move that told you plenty about how the Guardians wanted to finish the season. Mike Chernoff pointed to Lowes offense and the way he could fit into the clubhouse, and since then the veteran has given the team exactly the kind of steady presence a contender hopes to add without much fuss.
Lowes value has shown up in the biggest spots, including Game 1 of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays, where his RBI work helped keep Cleveland in the conversation early. For a club that made the bet to bring him in for this stretch, every timely swing only reinforces why the deadline deal mattered. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Let A Winnable ALCS Game Slip At The Worst Time
Cleveland had a chance to take firm control of the American League Championship Series, but Game 2 slipped away in a 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. The Guardians had played themselves into a position where every small edge mattered, and for much of the night it looked like they might carry one back home with them before the game turned in a hurry.
Jose Ramirezs throwing error in the fourth inning opened the door to three unearned Rays runs, a costly lapse in a game Cleveland could not afford to waste. The series now shifts to Progressive Field tied 1-1, with the next three games set for Cleveland and the margin for error already feeling smaller than ever. [Read more 🡒]