Analyst Says Guardians Made A Mistake With Steven Kwan

Steven Kwan did and said all the right things when the Cleveland Guardians wanted to explore moving him to center field this season. The veteran said he was willing to do whatever he could to help the team, and he would be willing to try it if that’s what the organization wanted.

Kwan has performed pretty well defensively at his new, more difficult position. Unfortunately, it arguably has had a detrimental effect on his performance at the plate, as his numbers this season are well below his usual standard.

That is why Bleacher Report analyst Kerry Miller is calling Kwan’s move to center field the Guardians’ biggest offseason regret, saying they should not have messed with a good thing.

“Offseason Regret: Tinkering with Steven Kwan,” Miller wrote. “For several years, the Guardians had a great thing going with four-time Gold Glove left fielder Steven Kwan. For some reason, though, they decided to make center field his new primary home. And while his glovework has been OK, he is suddenly a shell of the offensive asset he used to be. Why risk messing with a good thing, though?”

After going 0-for-4 in Cleveland’s victory against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, Kwan is batting just .202 this season. He has never hit lower than .268 in any of his four seasons, and he batted .272 last year.

Thanks to his 32 walks, including seven in a recent three-game stretch, his on-base percentage of .330 is equal to his number from last season. Yet, even though he is not considered a power hitter, his .260 slugging percentage ranks among the worst in the majors.

Manager Stephen Vogt recently made the decision to take Kwan out of the leadoff spot, in part because the Guardians could no longer afford to use him there and in an attempt to get him going. It has not worked, as he is 3-for-18 in his past seven games, which equals his .167 batting average for the month to date.

Kwan has been seeking a contract extension for more than a year, and it would have been very easy for him to decline the position change, as he looks forward to possibly becoming a free agent after next season. Also, not only did Cleveland potentially lessen his value on the field this season, but it also may have severely diminished his trade value if it ultimately decides to move him.

The 28-year-old two-time All-Star has time to turn his season around, but it would be nice if he started to show more signs of doing so sooner rather than later.