Steven Kwan’s name is already sitting near the center of Cleveland’s offseason conversations, and for good reason. The Guardians are staring at a real decision with one of their most reliable players: keep him, extend him, or move him before he gets any closer to free agency.
Kwan is entering his final year of club control, and he is projected to earn more than $11 million through arbitration in 2027. That alone makes this a tricky call for Cleveland, which has to decide whether to commit long term to a homegrown piece or listen on trade interest while he still carries value. Several national outlets have already pointed to him as a possible trade candidate this winter, and MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins included him among the five biggest questions facing the Guardians.
“What does the future hold for Kwan?” Stebbins wrote.
“Kwan is entering his final season of club control, which is typically the point when teams face a long-term decision. The Guardians could hold on to him and even try to work out a contract extension.
He’s a valued member of the lineup, plus he fared well in adding center field to his tool kit this season. They also could explore a trade to recoup some value before his looming free agency next offseason.”
The hesitation makes sense because Kwan’s 2026 season was a tale of two halves. By the end of June, he was in a deep slump, batting .212 with a .575 OPS across 78 games.
Then everything changed. In his final 73 games, he hit .352 with an .886 OPS, and he finished with the majors’ best average after the All-Star break at .353.
He also drew a career-high 85 walks.
Defensively, he kept adding to his profile. Kwan was named a Gold Glove finalist in center field, even though he had already won multiple Gold Gloves in left. That shift only added to his value, both for the Guardians and for any team thinking about him as a trade target.
His importance to Cleveland goes beyond the box score, too. Kwan is one of the voices inside the clubhouse, and his one game at a time approach helped steady the Guardians during their comeback from an 0-2 deficit against the White Sox in the division series. He also made a huge defensive play in the ALCS, throwing out a runner at the plate in Game 5.
And yet, the trade talk keeps hanging over everything.
Cleveland’s bigger challenge is offense. The Guardians scored just eleven runs over the final five games of the ALCS, and the front office will be looking for ways to add power.
Dealing Kwan could bring back the kind of impact bat the club has had trouble finding in free agency, but it would also leave a hole at the top of the lineup and in the outfield. Petey Halpin’s postseason emergence could help lessen that sting.
Kwan turned 29 in September and has spent his entire career in Cleveland after being drafted in the fifth round out of Oregon State in 2018. Whether the Guardians keep him or cash him in could end up shaping the franchise’s path into 2027.
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Guardians Face Tough Free Agency Calls With Key Veterans Up Next
The Guardians are heading toward another familiar offseason crossroads, with several veterans set to hit free agency and each one carrying a different kind of value to the roster. Shawn Armstrong, Foster Griffin, Austin Hedges, and Rhys Hoskins all fit into that category of players who helped fill needs during the season, even if their futures now look increasingly uncertain as Cleveland weighs fit, performance, and long-term planning.
Armstrong appears to be the likeliest departure, while the rest of the group is drawing varying levels of outside interest as clubs look for short-term help or depth. Griffin is projected to land with the Braves, Hedges with the Rockies, and Hoskins on a minor league deal with the Athletics, leaving Cleveland with more work to do if it wants to keep any of that experience in-house. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger takeaway for Cleveland is stability. The Guardians expect continuity not just in the dugout but throughout the staff, with pitching coach Carl Willis also slated to return in 2027. For a team that has leaned on consistency to stay competitive, keeping the current structure intact matters almost as much as any offseason move. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Vogt Gives Guardians Fans A Clear Answer On His Future
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Vogt remains under contract, which already gave the Guardians a strong position heading into the winter, but his public stance adds another layer of reassurance after a season that raised the profile of both the team and its manager. For a club trying to build on this year's run, keeping the dugout intact matters just as much as any roster move, and Cleveland can at least head into the offseason knowing where its skipper expects to be. [Read more 🡒]