Reds could make Guardians' Steven Kwan the centerpiece of their new approach

The Cleveland Guardians are in the American League Championship Series for the second time in three seasons, and outfielder Steven Kwan has been one of the team's standout performers since before the All-Star break.

Kwan got off to a miserable start in 2026, and was bumped out of the leadoff role after hitting .201/.308/.258 through May 15. He was moved to the bottom-third of the Guardians batting order, but used the demotion as motivation and hit .276/.380/.338 over a 49-game stretch from May 16 through July 18.

Kwan closed out the season back in his normal spot atop Cleveland's lineup, and posted a .340/.433/.417 slash line with a 13.8% walk rate, 9.4% strikeout rate, and a 148 wRC+ over the final 60 games of the season. In six postseason games, he's hitting just .208, with five singles, but his four free passes have boosted his on-base percentage to a respectable .321.

Kwan has been a popular name around Reds Country for the past couple of seasons. His ties to Terry Francona during their time together in Cleveland, plus the Cincinnati Reds' constant need for outfield depth, have made him the envy of fans' trade desires almost every year.

Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan fits Reds' revamped hitting philosophy

If the Reds are serious about altering (or returning to) their contact-first hitting philosophy in 2027, there's no better poster boy for "hit-over-power" than Kwan. For his career, he's hit .282/.357/.382 with more walks than strikeouts and a 112 wRC+.

That type of production would look outstanding ahead of Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart in the Reds' 2027 lineup. With Kwan entering his final year of arbitration eligibility this winter, there's never been a better opportunity for the Reds to make a trade with the Guardians.

Cleveland, much like the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays — all of whom are among the final four teams remaining the postseason this year — has a habit of trading players before they become too expensive. There are exceptions (see: Jose Ramirez), but in general, the Guardians prefer to trade away players before they enter free agency. Some recent examples are Francisco Lindor, Trevor Bauer, Andrés Gimenéz, and Josh Naylor.

One could easily argue that the Reds should take a similar approach with their own players, but unless the Castellinis have truly handed over the reins to Nick Krall, it's doubtful that Cincinnati will follow that strategy.

Instead, the Reds are more likely to target a player like Kwan in a trade this offseason. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Kwan is likely to take home more than $11 million in 2027; a number that would certainly put a strain on the Reds' payroll next season.

Nevertheless, Kwan is a unique player with an uncommon skillset. That makes him valuable, and given the direction Cincinnati is taking going forward, swinging a trade with Cleveland makes a lot of sense.

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