The Yankees may be staring at a big swing this winter, and Steven Kwan keeps surfacing as the kind of player who could change the look of their lineup and their outfield in one move.
Kwan, long known for elite contact skills and on-base ability, has also put together a defensive resume that makes him more than just a table-setter. Since debuting in 2022, his 18.7 fWAR is the ninth-highest total among all outfielders. In 2026, the Guardians used him in center field for most of the season, and he delivered +6 Outs Above Average in more than 600 innings there.
That kind of profile fits neatly with what the Yankees are trying to fix after an early postseason exit. The organization is expected to spend the offseason reworking the roster, and Kwan has emerged as a possible trade target as Cleveland weighs its options. He would bring a high-contact, high-OBP, low-strikeout bat to go with strong defensive versatility, and he is under team control through the 2027 season, which affects what the Guardians can ask for - but not enough to make him cheap.
A proposed package would send one season of Luis García Jr., pitcher Luis Serna, and outfield "prospect" Jasson Domínguez to Cleveland for Kwan.
García Jr. is the headliner of that return from Cleveland’s perspective. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report pointed out that the Guardians have a clear need at first base heading into next season, and García Jr. could fit there right away if the club decides to let prized prospect Ralphy Velazquez keep developing.
Nathaniel Lowe filled in during the postseason, but Cleveland may want a more dependable short-term answer. García Jr., who only recently moved to first base, handled the position well enough in the Bronx.
His bat is the bigger selling point. In 2026, García Jr. hit 30 home runs and drove in 92 runs, numbers that would make him one of Cleveland’s best power threats immediately. His 125 OPS+ this season would rank second on the Guardians roster, giving them the kind of production they have been chasing for an October breakthrough.
Serna is the quieter part of the deal, but not an empty one. He has been in the Yankees’ system since signing as a 16-year-old in 2021, and while injuries slowed his rise after two promising minor league seasons, he turned in a solid 2026 at High-A Hudson Valley with a 1.188 WHIP over 118.2 innings. For Cleveland, he would be a developmental arm with room to keep growing.
Domínguez is the biggest question mark in the trade. The once-hyped “Martian” will be 24 at the start of the 2027 season, so there is still time for him to sort things out, but he has not offered much reason for confidence at the plate or in the field. He could still be the kind of change-of-scenery gamble that another organization believes in more than the Yankees have lately.
Kwan’s rough first half in 2026 did not exactly make him untouchable. Through 298 at-bats before the All-Star break, he managed only a .614 OPS and looked far from his usual self.
But he turned it around after that. In 62 games after the break, he hit .353/.443/.432, and his 85 hits tied Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves for the most in the league over that span.
That late surge is part of why Cleveland does not have to sell low. Kwan reminded everyone how good he is, even in a strange season, and the Yankees’ need for cleaner defense makes him a logical fit. For a club that has reached the postseason six times in seven seasons this decade without getting the title that matters most, adding a player like Kwan could go a long way toward fixing one of the problems that has haunted them most.
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