Reds dream trade for Steven Kwan collides with Guardians longstanding practice

Steven Kwan will be a popular name in trade talks this offseason. The Cleveland Guardians outfielder was among those who could've been moved at the July 31 deadline, but instead, Kwan stayed put and helped lead his team to the AL Central division title this past season.

Rumors connected the Cincinnati Reds to Kwan at the MLB trade deadline. It's unclear how deep those talks actually got, but it wouldn't be surprising at all to see Cincinnati and Cleveland reignite the conversation once the offseason is officially underway.

But there's bound to be a bit of a stumbling block for the Reds if they truly wish to trade for the Guardians' Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder. Cleveland has a habit of clinging to their top talent until they enter the final year of arbitration. Kwan has two years remaining remaining until he hits the free agent market, meaning the Guardians are unlikely to deal the two-time All-Star this winter.

Reds dream trade for Steven Kwan collides with Guardians longstanding practice

The Reds were actually involved in one such trade with the Guardians several years ago. At the 2019 MLB trade deadline, Cleveland shipped Trevor Bauer — who had just one year of team control remaining — to Cincinnati as part of a three-team deal that also involved the San Diego Padres.

Corey Kluber was set to become a free agent after the 2020 season, and was dealt to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Emmanuel Clase and Delino DeShields. Kluber, a two-time Cy Young Award-winner, was set to earn $17.5 million during the final year of his contract.

Francisco Lindor was one of the biggest names Cleveland moved with just one year of team control remaining. Prior to the start of the 2021 season, the Guardians shipped Lindor to the New York Mets. After failing to negotiate a long-term deal, he was likely to bolt for free agency after the 2021 season came to a close. Lindor went on to ink a massive contract extension to stay in Queens after he was traded to the Mets.

While there are some examples of Cleveland abandoning ship before a player's final year of arbitration eligibility — Mike Clevinger and Aaron Civale come to mind — the Guardians' oftentimes cling to their top talent until the impending salary becomes more than they'd care to spend. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Kwan is likely to take home $8.8 million in 2026.

Back in July, the Guardians and Padres had the framework of a deal that included top-10 prospect Leodails De Vries. That'd be the equivalent of the Reds including one of Sal Stewart or Chase Burns in order to get a deal done. Most Reds fans are likely to balk at the idea of trading a top talent like that, even if Kwan was part of the return.

The Reds could (and should) definitely inquire about the possibility of acquiring Kwan this offseason, but given the Guardians' longstanding practice, such a deal seems unlikely.