Guardians just did the Reds a huge favor with their Steven Kwan stance

The Cleveland Guardians are nothing if not budget conscious. Their 2026 payroll was only slightly higher than Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million average annual value, and they like it that way. So All-Star Steven Kwan, who is projected to make $11 million in his final year of arbitration, is exactly the type of player that Cleveland tends to shop.

But Guardians president Chris Antonetti says Kwan is sticking around, which just might be a lucky break for the Cincinnati Reds.

Just as Kwan is the prototypical Cleveland trade bait, he perfectly fits the Reds’ trade target M.O. Every time his name hits the rumor wire, Cincinnati fans clamor for a trade. They aren’t exactly wrong. The Reds’ outfield corps contributed -5.3 wins above average, the third-worst mark in the majors this past season. However, Kwan’s asking price would outweigh any benefit he would offer the club.

Steven Kwan isn’t going anywhere, which may be in the Reds’ favor

Kwan is among the best bat-to-ball hitters in the league, and his defense is unparalleled. He’s shifted his focus to small ball, which would fit the Reds’ stated philosophy heading into 2027, but to retain his services, Cincinnati would likely need to deal several top prospects that are close to big-league ready since Cleveland is firmly in its playoff window.

Cam Collier, Tyson Lewis, Héctor Rodríguez, and others could be up for grabs. Parting with players that could form a young core in order to get one year of Kwan isn’t the strategy Nick Krall and the Reds front office should be looking to employ this offseason.

Further, the Reds already have enough outfielders in the rotation. Adding Kwan to the mix could rob youngsters like Rodríguez and Carlos Jorge of chances to develop. Given the Reds’ budget constraints, they aren’t likely to re-sign Kwan when he becomes a free agent, so they will then be out an outfielder and relying on unproven prospects.

It’s hard to applaud your in-state rivals when they choose to hang onto a guy that has four consecutive Gold Gloves and 22 WAR over five seasons. It’s even harder when that guy fills a need on your team, but the Reds need to play the long game here. Antonetti’s approach will help the Reds hold onto key prospects and avoid the one-year contract pitfall.

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