Former Player Raises Concern About Steven Kwan’s Future

The Cleveland Guardians may look back and rue the decision not to give Steven Kwan the contract extension he was seeking. As often happens in MLB, the market can change quickly, with prices rising at an incredible rate.

That’s been the case this offseason, with free agent Bo Bichette receiving a short-term deal with an astronomical average annual value. That new contract with the New York Mets is particularly troublesome from the Guardians’ point of view.

Former Cleveland player Jensen Lewis recently affirmed the idea put forth by Guardians Prospective that Bichette’s new deal “kills the chances” of the team extending Kwan’s contract and keeping him long term.

“100% accurate,” Lewis wrote on X.

100% accurate https://t.co/UxAe5JW6mt

— Jensen Lewis (@JLEWFifty) January 16, 2026

Bichette received a three-year deal worth $42 million per season, which is tied for the fourth-highest AAV in MLB history. When looking at their career WAR, with Kwan at 16.5 in four seasons and Bichette at 11.7 over seven, Kwan is arguably in line for a substantial payday as well.

A Gold Glove outfielder, Kwan does not have the same overall offensive game as Bichette, an infielder who is a more middle-of-the-order power threat than the Guardians’ leadoff hitter, who gets on base and contributes steals. So, even though Kwan is unlikely to command an identical salary in his next contract, Bichette’s deal likely raised the price significantly.

The Guardians could have avoided that escalation if they had been able to come to terms on an agreement with Kwan at any time over the past year. He is under club control through next season, so perhaps the organization didn’t feel the need to spend too early, but now they may have been priced out.

It’s possible the Guardians didn’t have Kwan in their long-term plans after all. They are known to move on from players who are about to receive a significant raise, and he will turn 29 years old during this season.

In addition, they have several young outfield prospects available to replace him, including George Valera, Chase DeLauter, Jaison Chourio and Jace LaViolette. So, Kwan may be more valuable to them as a trade piece.

That scenario could become even more likely as the deadline approaches this summer.