If there was anything the Cleveland Guardians could count on over the previous four seasons, it was that Steven Kwan would be their leadoff hitter, and he would produce in that role. However, this year, things changed dramatically.
Kwan got off to a terrible start, with his batting average falling below .200 in mid-May. He was still getting on base close to his usual rate, but with some newcomers in the lineup, it seemed to be time for a change.
On May 16, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, manager Stephen Vogt made the difficult decision to move Kwan down in the order. It was the first time the outfielder did not bat leadoff since June 2022.
The switch lasted about a month, and Vogt put Kwan back in his usual spot in late June. Now, it is starting to pay off in a very big way.
MLB Network analyst Greg Amsinger named Kwan’s performance as the Guardians’ leadoff hitter as the main reason behind their resurgence, which includes an active five-game winning streak.
“They’re relevant once again. One through four, this team looks different because Steven Kwan is in the leadoff spot. Why? He’s got the highest on-base percentage in the sport since July 1. In that span, he’s hitting for .350,” Amsinger said.
Steven Kwan is hitting .355 with a .900 OPS since July 1st 📈#MLBTonight discusses the Guardians outfielder finding his form as Cleveland holds an AL Wild Card spot. pic.twitter.com/GWKcr7QtI1
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 25, 2026
Kwan fully regained the leadoff spot in late July, after coming out of the All-Star break red hot. Cleveland’s lineup changed again when it acquired outfielder Jo Adell from the Los Angeles Angels at the MLB trade deadline.
Now, with Kwan at the top and some combination of Adell, Chase DeLauter, Jose Ramirez, and Nathaniel Lowe, another deadline acquisition, following him, the Guardians were able to sweep the Colorado Rockies and take the series opener from the Angels. They are back at the .500 mark and are now just 2.5 games behind the division-leading Chicago White Sox with 30 games to go. Cleveland has also regained third place in the AL Wild Card race.
With his surge over the past two months, Kwan is now batting .265 with an on-base percentage of .371 that is just two points behind his career high. He is also on track to score at least 80 runs for a fifth straight season.
If Kwan can keep it up, the Guardians should have a very good chance to make the playoffs for a third consecutive year.
NEXT: Former MLB Player Warns Against Counting Guardians Out
