The Tigers may finally get a break from one of their most annoying tormentors.
After Cleveland’s ALCS exit, FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray said Steven Kwan could be in play on the trade market this offseason. For Detroit, that’s the kind of rumor that lands like a warm breeze in November.
Kwan has been a thorn in the Tigers’ side for years, but his 2024 postseason against Detroit is what really cemented the reputation. In the ALDS, he went 11-for-21 and piled up three different three-hit games while scoring six runs. That stretch helped the Guardians knock Detroit out and left a lasting mark on the Tigers’ playoff run.
The numbers against Detroit across his career are more ordinary - Kwan is hitting just .237 with five RBI - but that October series is the one people in Detroit still remember. The Tigers had built a 2-1 lead in the ALDS, capped by a 3-0 road win in Cleveland after dropping Game 1 7-0, and then followed it with another shutout in Game 3. Everything seemed pointed toward a series win.
Then Game 4 turned. Reese Olson held up his end, allowing just one earned run before leaving with a 3-2 lead, but the bullpen couldn’t finish it. Kwan jump-started the inning that led to David Fry’s two-run homer, and Cleveland stole the game behind a 3-for-5 night from Kwan with two runs scored.
In Game 5, he wasted no time again. Kwan was the first Guardian to reach Tarik Skubal after four scoreless innings, getting Cleveland on the board in an elimination game. He kept the pressure on in the fifth with a hit that set up Lane Thomas’ go-ahead homer, then scored again in the seventh to help put the game away.
That series is why the mention of Kwan still hits a nerve in Detroit. He put up three straight three-hit games in the ALDS and played a direct role in ending the Tigers’ season.
Nothing is settled yet, and the offseason is just getting started. Kwan has also spoken about excitement for Cleveland’s future. Still, if the Guardians decide not to keep him through his final year of arbitration, he could be moved - and if that happens, the Tigers may finally stop seeing one of their biggest headaches in an AL Central uniform.
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Framber Valdez is expected to sit near the front of the rotation even after a disappointing previous season, but the more intriguing question is who follows him. Troy Melton and Keider Montero have flashed at times, though not consistently enough to settle the issue, which is why the front office may have to look outside the organization. A free-agent arm like Dustin May could fit that need if the Tigers decide to make a real push for help on the market. [Read more 🡒]