Guardians All-Star drawing interest from several contenders

Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan. Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Guardians All-Star OF drawing interest from several World Series contenders

By Jackson Weber | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 11:12 AM ET

The Cleveland Guardians (52-54) could look significantly different come Thursday evening.

One year removed from a trip to the ALCS, the Guardians have struggled to put it all together in 2025, and events in recent days might lead to some major roster shakeup.

A week ago, the consensus was that Cleveland would continue pushing for a wild-card spot in the American League, reluctant to deal away any impact players. However, things have changed quickly.

First, it lost two of three in an AL Central series against the Kansas City Royals. And then came the shocking news on Monday that superstar closer Emmanuel Clase was being placed on leave as the MLB investigates him for sports betting.

That combination has shifted the Guardians' mindset to become sellers ahead of the trade deadline (July 31, 6 p.m. ET), which puts star outfielder Steven Kwan in the spotlight.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal shared the update in a piece for The Athletic on Monday night, while also revealing the teams that are heavily interested in acquiring Kwan.

"He is drawing 'a ton' of interest, according to a club source, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres believed to be among the teams in the mix," Rosenthal wrote.

What I’m hearing: https://t.co/cA49QjiNuK
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2025

Kwan, who just participated in the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season, is batting .287 with nine HRs and 37 RBI through 100 games, per ESPN stats.

The 27-year-old is one of the best contact hitters in all of baseball and is also a three-time Gold Glove winner in left field. He immediately becomes the most highly coveted and talented position player available at this year's deadline.

Given Kwan's age, abilities and very reasonable $4.175M salary, Rosenthal mentions that the Guardians have set a high bar for a return package, and understandably so.

The Dodgers, Blue Jays, Phillies and Padres are all legitimate World Series contenders who possess strong farm systems, so it makes sense to hear them rumored to be all in on Kwan.

While it will certainly sting for the Guardians to move a fan favorite like Kwan, the potential haul of young players and prospects they could fetch by doing so might be the smart business move for a smaller-market team like Cleveland.

Jackson Weber

Jackson Weber is a sports writer with a BComm in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph. While he has focused primarily on NHL coverage in recent years, he brings strong knowledge and passion for the NFL, MLB, and NBA. Following all four major leagues year-round, Jackson delivers honest, opinion-driven stories on the biggest topics in sports

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