After months of mediocrity, injuries, controversy, and a rather quiet trade deadline, the Cleveland Guardians are finally starting to click.
One game separates them from a postseason spot as things stand on Tuesday afternoon, which is impressive considering that this squad was 40-48 on July 6.
Right now, the Guardians are 61-56 and surging.
The improving Cleveland offense has done most of its damage without huge recent contributions from star outfielder Steven Kwan.
Kwan has been a bit cold in the last few weeks, but it doesn’t matter: his overall body of work since 2022 is amazing.
He is talented, consistent, and committed to succeeding in everything he does on a baseball field, so fans are eager to see him and the team agree on a contract extension.
You can add franchise legend Carlos Baerga, who proudly defended Cleveland’s uniform from 1990 to 1996 and then again in 1999, to that group.
“He’s a special player, let’s keep him here! He’s a COMPLETE player!” Baerga said in his entertaining and energetic podcast.
"He's a special player, let's keep him here! He's a COMPLETE player!"@BaergaCarlos would LOVE a Steven Kwan extension this offseason. #GuardsBall
presented by @BathroomsUSA https://t.co/FvdEQxhkl2 pic.twitter.com/pGnJd6gitL
— Carlos Baerga Show (@BaergaShow) August 12, 2025
Kwan, even when he’s not hitting, adds energy to the team with his effort level.
He plays hard and hustles on offense, defense, and the basepaths, and those things have value in the eyes of fans.
More importantly, they project energy to the rest of his teammates.
Kwan is under team control for the next two seasons, but Guardians fans want him to stay much longer than that.
At 27, he is barely entering his prime, which is impressive for a career 114-wRC+ hitter with two All-Star berths and three Gold Glove awards.
Yes, Kwan is hitting just .224/.257/.284 over his last 15 contests, but he is still rocking an above-average 105 wRC+ on the season as a whole and has contributed a lot in other aspects of the game, which is Baerga’s point.
He deserves an extension, and the Guardians and their fans deserve to have another building block.
NEXT: Analyst Believes Guardians' Pitcher Prospect Could Be A Deadline Steal
