CLEVELAND, Ohio — When Josh Naylor returned to Progressive Field in August last season, he was already two teams removed from the Guardians.
Cleveland traded Naylor to Arizona in December following the 2024 season. The Guardians controlled Naylor for one more year before he could become a free agent following the 2025 season.
He hit and played well for the Diamondbacks, but they slipped out of the race in the NL West and traded him to the Mariners. Naylor continued to play well for the Mariners, helping them win the AL West and advance to the ALCS where they lost a thrilling seven-game series to Toronto.
After the World Series, Naylor quickly signed a five-year $92.5 million deal with Seattle.
On Thursday, the Guardians avoided arbitration with Steven Kwan by agreeing to a one-year, $7.725 million deal with their leadoff hitter. He is two years away from free agency, meaning next December he could be in the same situation that Naylor faced last year.
The Guardians, with few exceptions, have a track record of trading players who get close to free agency unless they can sign them to an extension. As Naylor told reporters during the Mariners’ visit to Cleveland last year, “I knew I was going to get traded eventually. A lot of us over there know we are (going to be traded). We’re not we anymore, but they know they are.
“It’s baseball. It’s the business side of it. You have to be prepared for anything.”
Kwan, who led all leadoff hitters last year with 170 hits, has been the subject of trade rumors since last year’s trade deadline in July. He is expected to open the 2026 season with Cleveland. How could he not, after the front office has done so little to improve one of MLB’s least effective offenses from 2025?
The possibility of an extension still exists. The likelihood of such an extension, however, is more improbable than probable.
The Guardians have avoided adding offense this winter because they don’t want to hinder the progress of the core of players they’ve been developing over the last several years. Kwan is one of the main reasons for that approach.
Kwan, a fifth-round pick by Cleveland in 2018, made his big-league debut in 2022 and hasn’t taken a backward step. He’s won four Gold Gloves in left field, has gone to the All-Star Game the last two years and is a .281 (649 for 2,306) career hitter with 346 runs, 73 steals in 91 attempts (80%) and a .741 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage).
What Kwan needs a little more help from his teammates not named Jose Ramirez. He is not cut from the same cloth as an emerging group of power-hitting leadoff hitters that includes:
Shohei Ohtani: .284, 51 homers, 93 RBI.Byron Buxton: .272, 29, 67.Francisco Lindor: .257, 26, 63.Fernando Tatis: .271, 25, 71.Corbin Carroll: .259, 23, 49.Trent Grisham: .202, 23, 43.
(Stats are from the 2025 season).
Kwan is a more traditional leadoff hitter, but that still puts bread on the table. Besides leading all leadoff hitters with 170 hits last season, he ranked first in games played at 156, first with 29 doubles and fifth with 56 RBI.
To get an idea of what Kwan might be looking for in an extension, here are some contracts to consider.
Out of the six leadoff hitters listed above, Grisham is the only one on a one-year deal. Grisham, a free agent after 2025, accepted the qualifying offer of $22.025 million from the Yankees rather than becoming a free agent.
The much-injured Buxton signed a seven-year $100 million deal with the Twins in December of 2021. It is currently paying him $15 million a year.
Carroll, Arizona’s No. 1 pick in 2019, signed a eight-year $111 million extension before his first full big-league season in 2023. He’ll make $10 million this season.
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers in December 2023. He makes $70 million a year, but $68 million of it is deferred annually.
Tatis signed a 14-year, $340 million with the Padres in February 2021. He’ll make $20 million this year.
Lindor signed a 10-year, $341 million deal in April 2021 with the Mets. He’ll make $32 million this year.
While the Guardians would never touch the contracts of Ohtani, Tatis and Lindor, here are some signings that could be a starting point on a Kwan extension:
Kansas City’s Jonathan India avoided arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year $8 million deal. He hit leadoff in 104 games last year.Boston’s Jarren Duran avoided arbitration for 2026 by agreeing to a one-year $7.75 million deal. He hit leadoff for 108 games last season.
Guardians fans have gone through this ritual season after season. The end of Kwan’s story, unless something unexpected happens, is probably already written.
Former Guardians’ right-hander Zak Kent has been claimed on waivers by Texas.John Kuntz, cleveland.comNames to rememberINF Christian Arroyo, who played one game with Cleveland in 2020, has signed a minor league deal with the Mets. It includes an invitation to big-league camp.OF Ben Gamel, who played 17 games with Cleveland in 2021, has signed a minor league deal with an invitation to big-league camp with the Braves.RHP Zak Kent, who made his big-league debut with the Guardians in 2025, has been claimed on waivers by Texas. The Rangers drafted Kent in 2019.C Eric Haase, who made his big-league debut with Cleveland in 2018, has signed a minor league deal with the Giants that includes an invitation to big-league camp.Free agent RHP Lucas Giolito, who made six starts with Cleveland in 2023, has drawn interest from Detroit.