Guardians' Steven Kwan is imperfect trade fit Mariners must consider anyway

As poor as the lineup was and as inconsistent as the pitching was in 2026, the defense deserved just as much criticism in contributing towards the most disappointing year in Mariners history. As recently as 2023 they were top 10 in team Fielding Run Value, but this season hit rock bottom by ranking dead last in the majors. As such, if the latest update from FanSided's Robert Murray is anything to go by, the M's would be wise to make a move for Steven Kwan.

Murray expects Kwan to be on the trading block following the Guardians' ALCS exit at the hands of the Rays. This won't be the first time the outfielder is surrounded by trade rumors about his future in Cleveland, but this time there's more reason to believe a move is coming, with him entering the final year of arbitration before becoming a free agent following the 2027 season. As Murray notes, the Guardians have a history of trading players before they get paid on the open market.

Kwan might come across as an unassuming individual to some, but make no mistake about his fierce competitiveness and talent. His calling card is undoubtedly sterling defense from the outfield, highlighted by ranking in the 90th percentile in Range (OAA). He's won four consecutive Gold Gloves and is a finalist to claim his fifth one this year. (The last four came from left field, but this time he's been nominated as a center fielder.)

The 29-year-old is also pretty steady with the bat as a career .282 hitter which, interestingly, was his batting average for this season specifically. He had a career-high .382 OBP and his Baseball Savant page is highlighted by ranking in the 100th percentile in both Squared-Up% and Whiff%. Overall it all added up to a 5.3 bWAR which was his best since his rookie year in 2022 and would have been second-highest on the Mariners this season, behind a certain Randy Arozarena who he would effectively be replacing in Seattle.

It's not all flowers and roses with Steven Kwan, but ultimately the juice is worth the squeeze

As enticing as this all sounds, there would still be some concerns about the Mariners going down this particular road. The left-handed hitter has issues versus lefties, as evidenced by a career .660 OPS and 90 wRC+. He doesn't offer much in the way of power and speed, alluding to not being as potent a threat with the bat compared to Arozarena.

There's also the implications of what trading for Kwan would cost, both in terms of monetary value and who the Mariners might have to give up in return. He earned $7.725 million this season and MLB Trade Rumors projects him to make $11.3 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility. Would the M's be prepared to trade a prospect such as Michael Arroyo for Kwan, even though they might only get one year out of him before he leaves as a free agent?

Overall, we're still in favor of the Mariners making a move for the two-time All-Star despite the potential high cost. (Although we'd prefer giving up a prospect further down the food chain than Arroyo.) Kwan's glove is legit and we like the idea of him being in tandem with Brendan Donovan at the top of the lineup.

Over to you, Jerry Dipoto.

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