With just over 24 hours until the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, there is growing belief the Cleveland Guardians will make every effort deal Steven Kwan and Shane Bieber.
Emmanuel Clase once figured to be part of the Guardians potentially selling at the trade deadline as well, but he is on administrative leave until Aug. 31 amid MLB’s investigation into his involvement with gambling.
As the Dodgers reportedly search for an outfielder at the trade deadline, and one who would improve their defense, they have been among the teams connected to a potential Kwan trade.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds remain in the picture for a Kwan trade:
Padres and Reds in addition to Dodgers (and others) are in on the Steven Kwan derby. Kwan with Luis Arraez would be quite the interesting combo.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 30, 2025
The Padres’ reported interest in Kwan comes amid some uncertainty of which direction they will take at the deadline. They do currently occupy a Wild Card spot and general manager A.J. Preller has a track record of being aggressive, but there also have been indications of the Padres looking to shed some salary.
Meanwhile, the Reds enter play Wednesday three games back of the Padres for the final Wild Card position. They swept the Tampa Bay Rays before losing two games in a row to the Dodgers.
Steven Kwan trade cost
Kwan is capable of playing all three outfield positions but has primarily spent 2025 in left field. He’s batting .286/.351/.410 with 20 doubles, nine home runs and 37 RBI. Kwan also is somewhat of a speed threat, having stolen 11 bases in 13 attempts this year.
Kwan leads all outfielders with nine assists this season, but has also committed the most errors with five.
Beyond widespread interest in the 27-year-old, a Kwan trade may not be likely for the Dodgers given the Guardians’ asking price being significant because of the team control associated with him. Kwan is under contract via salary arbitration through the 2027 season.
Furthermore, Michael Conforto’s recent improvement at the plate could prompt the Dodgers to find an outfielder to platoon in left field and one that wouldn’t come at a prohibitive cost.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
