Steven Kwan has been one of the most reliable players in Cleveland’s lineup for years. But 2026 has presented a version of Kwan that has left some observers frustrated, and at least one voice in the local media is calling for a change at the top of the order.
92.3 The Fan’s Matt Dery made his case clearly and did not sugarcoat it.
“Steven Kwan, now, it’s been going on for almost a full year. He’s a really good player, don’t get me wrong, but when you’re lofting lazy fly balls to center and left every at bat, you’re striking out more than you have in your entire career. Kwan’s got to be better. Stephen Vogt’s got to move him down in the order and let him take a breather. I’m moving DeLauter to the top,” Dery said.
"When you're lofting lazy fly balls to center and left every at bat, you're striking out more than you ever have… I'm moving DeLauter to the top."
⚾@DerySpeaks says the #Guardians should move Steven Kwan out of the leadoff hitter spot pic.twitter.com/ffPFwg4n9O
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) May 6, 2026
Moving Kwan down in the order and sliding Chase DeLauter to the leadoff spot would be a significant roster decision for Stephen Vogt, and not one that comes without its own set of complications. But the argument Dery is making does make some sense.
Kwan has built his reputation in Cleveland by being one of the most disciplined hitters in the sport. He does not chase. He works counts. He puts the ball in play and makes things happen on the bases. That version of Kwan at the top of the lineup has been a key piece of how this offense functions at its best. When he is right, he sets the table for everything that follows.
The problem is that version of Kwan has been harder to find lately. If the lazy fly balls and increased strikeout rate that Dery is describing have genuinely persisted for close to a full year, that is a pattern that is concerning. Slumps happen. Extended mechanical issues are a different conversation entirely.
On the other side of the argument sits DeLauter, who has done nothing but hit since arriving in Cleveland. His .302 average and .931 OPS through 116 at-bats make him one of the most dangerous hitters on this roster right now. The 24-year-old has shown an ability to get on base, drive the ball with authority, and impact games in a way that would translate well at the top of a lineup. Putting that kind of bat in front of Jose Ramirez and the middle of the Cleveland order would be appealing.
The question for Vogt is whether shaking up the lineup sends the wrong message to a veteran like Kwan, who has earned the benefit of the doubt many times over with what he has meant to this organization.
That said, Vogt has never been afraid to make tough calls when the situation demands it.
Kwan is too good a player to stay in this kind of extended funk. But if it continues much longer, the conversation Dery started on 92.3 The Fan is only going to get louder.
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