The Cleveland Guardians were on the verge of being major sellers at the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, but instead, Cleveland held onto All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan, who was rumored in a number of trade possibilities.
President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti was asked about how close they were to trading Kwan.
"What I can confirm for Steven is that not only do we have a profound appreciation for what he's able to contribute on the baseball field and in the clubhouse, but so does the rest of Major League Baseball. But we are really excited that he will continue to be with us moving forward," Antonetti said.
Kwan, a fan favorite, was originally selected by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut on Opening Day in 2022 after playing for the Akron RubberDucks and Columbus Clippers.
Over his four years playing in the bigs, Kwan has earned All-Star honors twice and has been a three-time Gold Glove recipient. He’s posted a career .285 batting average with 594 total hits, 34 total home runs, 63 stolen bases and 188 RBI.
This season, Kwan has found power in his swing in the lead-off spot, notching nine homers to date with 115 hits and 38 RBI while batting .286.
There had been numerous inquiries from teams interested in Kwan reported over the past few weeks, with the Guardians looking for the right price to consider a trade for the outfielder and lead-off hitter. Luckily for fans, the All-Star will stick around in Cleveland a little longer.
Earlier in the day, the Guardians sent starting pitcher Shane Bieber to the Toronto Blue Jays and reliever Paul Sewald to the Detroit Tigers.
Kwan has become a fan-favorite for his play on the field, his positive demeanor, and the off-field work across Northeast Ohio— like the chess club he helped create with the organization.
The Guardians return from a day off, post-trade deadline, on Friday, starting a new series with the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field— with Kwan still in the picture.
