The Cleveland Guardians have one of the best outfielders in the game. However, they may not be able to retain him there for much longer.
The Guardians haven’t been able to get Steven Kwan signed to a contract extension. At this point, they may not get it done. With that in mind, Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes they should move him to the reigning World Series champions.
While that might be overkill, it could also be just what they need to get the prospect they so clearly need:
“The Guardians trade left fielder Steven Kwan to the Dodgers for outfielder Josue De Paula. The Dodgers will love the Gold Glove-winning Kwan, who at the plate also provides them more traffic for the dangerous middle of their lineup, while the Guardians win the deal in the long run by gaining a potential middle-of-the-order star in De Paula,” Bowden wrote.
De Paula is a promising player who might be just what the doctor ordered here, so it’s hard to disagree with the logic. Then again, not only would the Guardians be giving yet another weapon to the team that has it all, but it also feels like they could get a better value somewhere else.
As great a prospect as he is, the Guardians should also be able to land some players who can contribute to their team now. If that’s the case, then they should consider pulling the trigger.
Of course, it’s not that they should be looking to move Kwan or that the team might be better off without him. That’s definitely not the case. But if he doesn’t want to sign a contract extension, and the team isn’t willing to give him the type of money he clearly deserves, there’s no point in dragging things any further.
They might as well get as much as they can for him.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Guardians' Focus On Bolstering 'Thin' Unit
