Steven Kwan checks a lot of boxes the SF Giants don’t have enough of right now, and that makes him an obvious name to keep circling as the trade market takes shape.
He isn’t the classic power-hitting corner bat, but he could walk into San Francisco and instantly become the best outfielder on the roster. Kwan is entering the final year of his contract, and that alone puts him squarely in the kind of bucket the Cleveland Guardians tend to move. Cleveland has built a reputation for dealing away assets before they get too close to free agency, using that window to recoup value instead of letting a player drift toward the open market.
For the Giants, the appeal starts with what Kwan actually does on the field. He brings contact, speed, and defense in a package that would fit neatly near the top of the lineup.
His speed would add a layer of athleticism the Giants have been missing, and he has stolen at least 20 bases in 2 of his 5 seasons, with 19 in another. San Francisco finished 22nd in the league in stolen bases in 2026, so Kwan would immediately help nudge that number in the right direction and make it easier to manufacture runs.
The bat is part of the draw too. Kwan owns a career .282 average and has piled up 127 doubles in the majors so far.
With his speed, some of those could turn into triples, which only adds to his value. And then there’s the glove, which may be the loudest selling point of all: he plays Gold Glove defense.
In a lot of ways, he’d give the Giants a Luis Arraez type with a little bit of speed mixed in. The one downside is that he hits left-handed in a lineup that already looks pretty left-handed-dominant heading into the winter.
There’s also the financial angle, and it matters here. Because Kwan is on an expiring contract, the Giants would not be staring at an outrageous acquisition cost.
That doesn’t mean Cleveland would give him away, but the price should be manageable. A mid-level prospect and taking on the money could be enough to get something done, and Kwan is projected to make $11.3 million.
If San Francisco absorbs all of that salary, it could bring the trade price down even further.
And then there’s the part that makes this fit feel almost too neat: Kwan is a Bay Area guy. He was born in Palo Alto and grew up a Giants fan.
San Francisco has long shown a willingness to bring local players home, with Joc Pederson and Brandon Crawford standing out as examples. A move to the Giants would make it easy for his family to get to games, but the bigger picture is clear too.
San Francisco would have a shot to extend him beyond this season, either locking him in for the rest of his career or at least through his prime.
Of course, that’s where the caution comes in. The Giants have not always had luck landing Northern California players when they’ve tried.
They went after Aaron Judge and missed. So while Kwan makes a ton of sense on paper, San Francisco’s recent history says nothing here comes easy.
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