At the MLB trade deadline, the Cleveland Guardians only made two moves: trading Shane Bieber to the Toronto Blue Jays and Paul Seawald to the Detroit Tigers. But, they nearly swung another deal, and it would’ve been a major one.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Guardians were close to trading Steven Kwan to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline. They were so close that a general manager said, “Everyone in baseball thought (the Dodgers) were getting Kwan.”

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“They were badly trying to acquire Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan,” Nightengale writes, “believing he would be the perfect fit to replace Michael Conforto in left field. But after hours of negotiations, the Dodgers were left empty-handed.”

Kwan was one of the most sought-after players at the trade deadline. The Dodgers were far from the only team interested, as the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres, among others, were making strong pushes for Kwan.

Trading for the three-time Gold Glove left fielder wouldn’t come cheap, as the Guardians had asked for 3rd-ranked prospect Leo De Vries, the player the Padres traded to the Athletics for Mason Miller.

MORE: Guardians to trade Cy Young starter Shane Bieber to Blue Jays

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But, no outfielder available at the deadline was better than Kwan. The two-time All-Star had plenty of suitors, and the Dodgers were, according to Nightengale and a general manager, on the cusp of landing Kwan.

It would’ve been a tough blow for the Guardians, even if the return was great. After losing Emmanuel Clase to MLB’s sports betting investigation, Kwan’s departure would’ve left a huge hole in the clubhouse for the remainder of the season.

But a deal didn’t pan out, and the fan-favorite Guardians left fielder stayed in Cleveland. The Dodgers’ missing out on Kwan forced them to pivot to Washington Nationals outfielder Alex Call, who, while a nice platoon bat with Conforto, doesn’t compare to the impact Kwan would’ve had on the team.

The Guardians were listening to offers for Kwan, and nearly dealt him to the Dodgers at the trade deadline. Fortunately, for Guardians fans and the rest of the National League, Kwan remained in Cleveland.

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