Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan was so bad in the first half of the 2026 season that he lost the leadoff spot, a lineup position he had held since he made his MLB debut in 2022 to that point, in May. He looked helpless at the plate, with a 74 wRC+ in the first month, a 79 mark in May, and 57 in June.
Kwan wrapped up the first half with an 82 wRC+, well below the league-average mark of 100. His power had completely disappeared, and the hits just weren’t falling.
However, he has been a beast since late June and is now hitting a cool .265/.372/.327 with a 107 wRC+ for the year. The power has been modest at best this season, with 15 doubles, two triples, and two homers, but his OBP is approaching elite territory; he has more walks (67) than strikeouts (49), and the hits are falling again.
Kwan is doing a better job hitting pitches in the inner and outer parts of the zone. He has worked hard, he has made adjustments, and he is back where he belongs: the leadoff spot.
The surging outfielder revealed the secret to staying level-headed during the tough times.
“My strategy for kind of when I wasn’t doing well is, you know… nobody wants to see you pouting, nobody cares that you’re doing poorly, you got to be the same person every day,” he said, per Mason Horodyski of News 5 Cleveland.
"My strategy for kind of when I wasn't doing well is you know… nobody wants to see you pouting, nobody cares that you're doing poorly, you got to be the same person every day"
(Via #Guardians Zoom) Steven Kwan on his process of turning his season around#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/IqwpkMRG00
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) August 20, 2026
Kwan had every reason to break down mentally and emotionally. People wanted him out of Cleveland, his home for the last four and a half years, as his slump had almost reached a point of no return. But he was able to keep his composure, work hard, spot the weaknesses in his approach and his swing, and attack them. The results are out there to see: he had a 188 wRC+ in July and is at 146 in August, before accounting for Thursday’s game.
The rest of the Guardians’ offense might be struggling badly, but Kwan is enjoying his finest days of the 2026 campaign. His swing and approach are where they are supposed to be, and as long as that’s the case, he will continue to lead things off for Cleveland.
NEXT: Insider Reveals How Guardians Can Get Back Into Playoff Contention
