The Cleveland Guardians have been waiting for Steven Kwan to return to form for almost the entire season. After a good start, the All-Star outfielder has fallen well short of expectations at the plate, even losing his longtime role as Cleveland’s leadoff hitter.
Entering play Tuesday, Kwan has a .206 batting average that is almost 80 points below his previous career mark. That number has been something of an albatross, which not only reflects his poor performance but may also be challenging his confidence.
Former player Jensen Lewis broke down Kwan’s midseason struggles, saying that at this point, it may be difficult to convince himself that it will eventually turn out to be OK.
“You might see some of these guys limp into the finish line of the first half just to try and be able to get away from that. It’s really hard when you’re looking up at the scoreboard, and you see yourself just barely over the Mendoza Line, just trying to mentally say, ‘Hey, everything is going to be all right.’ It’s like that meme in the burning room. It is one of those situations where less may be more, and it’s easier said than done because we know what Steven Kwan and those other guys are capable of,” Lewis said.
Is Steven Kwan living the "everything is fine" meme right now? #GuardsBall
"It's really hard when you're looking up at the scoreboard and you see yourself just barely over the Mendoza line."
– @JLEWFifty https://t.co/hWOipPKGdH pic.twitter.com/MmfURn4Yih
— BIGPLAY Cleveland (@BIGPLAYcle) June 22, 2026
Despite his lengthy slump, and being moved down in the order, Kwan has still been used in 71 of Cleveland’s 79 games this season. That is third on the team behind third baseman Jose Ramirez, who is currently on the injured list, and Brayan Rocchio, who has become a surprising All-Star candidate at shortstop.
Kwan’s struggles could be attributed to issues other than simply putting the bat on the ball. He has been seeking a contract extension from the organization for more than a year, yet he has not received one. That has meant he has been consistently mentioned in trade rumors, which has to be disconcerting for even the most confident player.
In addition, the 28-year-old willingly changed positions, moving to center field after four consecutive Gold Glove seasons in left field to begin his MLB career. While he has maintained those high standards on defense, with just one error and six assists this season, it is hard to argue that it wasn’t a mistake, based on his offensive decline.
With 50 hits so far, Kwan is on pace for just 108 if he were to play in every remaining game. He has had at least 168 hits in three of his first four seasons, with a career low of 140 in 122 games in 2024.
A turnaround from Kwan may be coming after the All-Star break next month, which the Guardians may sorely need.
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