William Purnell-Imagn Images

Guardians Offer Intriguing Outfield Trade Candidate For Astros

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Scott Roche | Last updated Dec 7, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Houston Astros have some work to do this offseason to bolster their roster if they are going to return to the playoffs in 2026 after coming up short last season. They were passed in the American League West by the Seattle Mariners before also fading in the American League Wild Card race.

September's swoon will leave a bad taste in the mouth of the Astros after being a major factor in the postseason for years. This offseason is sure to bring some big changes, with left-hander Framber Valdez likely to leave in free agency. Replacing him either through free agency or a trade won't be easy.

There are a lot of needs Houston has this offseason, with one of them being an outfielder and a left-handed bat. If they can't fill that void through free agency, then the Cleveland Guardians might have an answer for them through a trade.

Could the Astros Trade for Guardians Outfielder Steven Kwan?

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

For the last four seasons, Steven Kwan has been a staple in the Guardians' lineup and in the outfield. You could make the case that he's the second most important player on the team behind third baseman Jose Ramirez. Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN listed some of the potential offseason trade candidates this offseason, and Kwan made the list.

He was linked to the Astros, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers. ESPN listed Kwan's chances of being traded at just 30%; however, there were rumors back at the trade deadline in July that he might be moved. This offseason, it could become a reality. He would be a fit for Houston both in the outfield and near the top of the order.

"Kwan is an elite defensive left fielder despite just average raw foot speed and is among the best contact hitters in the sport despite bottom-of-the-scale bat speed. Kwan has a fantastic sense of the strike zone and bat-to-ball ability, and he can make the most of his tools,'' McDaniel and Passan wrote.

Kwan slashed .272/.330/.374 with 11 home runs and 56 RBIs. Now those numbers are not going to jump off the screen, but his ability to get on base and the way his speed makes him a threat on the bases would give the Astros a threat on the base paths.

He is an American League Gold Glove winner in the outfield, and his defense has always been a strong point. He has two years remaining on his contract, which makes now the perfect time for the Guardians to trade him and get some assets in return. It would be a bad sign to Cleveland fans if Kwan was traded in terms of competing in 2026, but their loss would be a big gain for the Astros.