All-Star and Gold Glove-winning outfielder Steven Kwan may soon have a new home. In fact, he nearly had a new home at this past season’s trade deadline. Kwan was one of the hottest commodities on the trade block. Fortunately for the Guardians, he remained in Cleveland, playing a massive role in their AL Central comeback victory.
The rumors swelled around the two-time defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, we have more rumors swirling around that same team for the winter.
Should the Guardians make the rich richer with a prized asset such as Steven Kwan?
The Dodgers will likely pursue All-Star Steven Kwan during the offseason 🔥
Kwan currently plays for the Guardians, and is an elite defender in the outfield that is needed by the Dodgers 🙌
“[The Guardians] nearly traded him to the Dodgers at the trade deadline and Los Angeles… pic.twitter.com/hCQWFBoPCc
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) November 11, 2025
The Dodgers, even into the World Series struggled to have an outfield that could both play defense and also contribute offensively. Andy Pages is a great defender, but he hit .078 in the playoffs. You read that right. Point zero seven eight. Los Angeles would be crazy not to lust for an upgrade.
Kwan, now a four-time Gold Glove winner, would obviously fit the defensive needs for the Dodgers. Kwan is notoriously a great contact hitter with incredible bat-to-ball skills. Kwan has only struck out 246 times in his four-year career. That is 61.5 strikeouts a season. For reference, Washington Nationals’ James Wood led MLB in strikeouts in 2025 with 221 strikeouts.
Not only does Kwan not strike out, but he also hits for average and even has a little pop. Kwan has two seasons (2022, 2024) where he hit over .290. He hit .268 in 2023 and .272 last season. He mashed 14 homers in 2024 and 11 last year.
Pages is likely going to remain the Dodgers’ everyday center fielder, along with Teoscar Hernandez in right field. Left field saw many faces, most notably Enrique Hernandez in the World Series. Kwan would certainly fit right in alongside Teoscar and Pages, and even provide them some relief when they need time off.
Both Teoscar and Pages had some really brutal stretches offensively this year. Teoscar Hernandez was benched late in the season, and Pages had benchings of his own in some of the biggest spots this postseason.
Enrique Hernandez, meanwhile, had a brutal season. He only hit .203 with ten homers and 35 RBI. He had his moments in the playoffs, as he usually does, but he is not someone who can be an everyday player for a team that seriously wants to win over 100 games and win a third straight World Series.
What the Dodgers would give up remains a mystery. Equally mysterious is what exactly the Guardians would want from the Dodgers for Kwan’s services. The Guardians should ask for a lot, as Kwan has been one of the American League’s best hitters the past four seasons and is under contract through the 2027 season.
Many argue that you should not trade Kwan now, coming off an AL Central victory and Jose Ramirez in his prime. Maybe you look at a trade going into 2027 or at the 2027 trade deadline, but losing one of the game’s best defenders and batters while in a stretch that can realistically don an AL pennant for the Guardians may be a mistake.