The version of Steven Kwan that Cleveland needs has been showing up lately, and his manager has taken notice.
After a 2026 season that started well below the standard this four-time Gold Glove winner has established for himself over his career, Kwan has been trending in the right direction over the last week and a half, and Stephen Vogt was honest about what he has been seeing from his left fielder.
“We are starting to see Kwany over the last week, ten days, really start to look like himself, and, you know, good hitters find hits, and that’s what Kwany did. He’s still working really good counts, getting on base, playing excellent defense, so really happy with Kwany’s trip,” Vogt said.
#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt to reporters in Philly about how Steven Kwan has played the past few outings:
"We are starting to see Kwany over the last week, ten days, really start to look like himself, and, you know, good hitters find hits, and that's what Kwany did. He's…
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) May 24, 2026
Kwan’s full 2026 line across 183 at-bats shows a .208 batting average with one home run, 12 RBI, a .329 on base percentage and a .591 OPS. For a player who owns a career .276 average, a .350 on base percentage, and a .730 OPS across 2,489 career at bats, those season numbers represent a significant dip from what Cleveland has come to expect from him.
But the recent stretch has been a reminder of exactly who Kwan is when everything clicks. He went 3-4 with an RBI on Sunday in Philadelphia, carrying much of the offensive load in a 3-1 series-clinching victory and giving the Guardians the kind of consistent at-bat quality that makes the rest of the lineup work more effectively.
He is not a player who beats you with raw power or elite bat speed. He beats you by working deep counts, putting the ball in play to all fields, using his speed to leg out hits that other players cannot, and forcing pitchers to throw strikes while making them pay when they do. His .329 on base percentage for the season, despite the low batting average, reflects a hitter who has maintained his plate discipline even through the rough stretch.
The full-season version of Kwan is one of the best players in the American League. The recent version suggests that player is coming back.
Good hitters find hits. Kwany is finding them again.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Guardians' Likely Future Plans At First Base
