Kwan is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Milwaukee.
The left-handed-hitting Kwan is slashing just .162/.284/.203 versus lefty pitchers this season, and this is the fifth time over the last seven contests that he's been out of the lineup against a southpaw (in this case, Shane Drohan). David Fry will handle left field and Stuart Fairchild will play center field for the Guardians.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Delivers game-winning run
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Friday's 3-2 win over Detroit.
Kwan gave the Guardians a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning with a run-scoring single, which turned out to be the game-winning knock. Since coming off the bereavement list earlier this month, Kwan is batting .281 (9-for-32) with five runs scored over nine games.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Held out against lefty
Rotowire
Kwan is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.
The Guardians will roll out a right-handed-heavy lineup to counter Yankees southpaw Carlos Rodon in the series finale, so Kwan will take a seat Wednesday along with fellow lefty hitters Chase DeLauter and Kyle Manzardo. Cleveland will go with David Fry in left field in Kwan's stead.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Lone bright spot in loss
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-3 in Sunday's 10-0 loss to Texas.
Not much went right for the Guardians, but Kwan's two-hit effort continued a positive stretch for the slumping outfielder. This was his fourth multi-hit performance over the last 10 games. Kwan has gone 12-for-35 (.343) with six runs scored during that stretch.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Records steal in loss
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 3-2 loss to Texas.
Kwan's season-opening slump has impacted his role on the team in various ways. He's no longer leading off, and Friday's steal was just his third a little more than a third of the way through the season. He's had double-digit steals in all four previous MLB seasons but is now on pace for fewer than 10. While the slump hasn't cost the left-handed batter starts against southpaws yet, Kwan was pinch hit for in the ninth inning against the left-handed Jacob Latz. He's batting just .176 against southpaws in 2026.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Contributes immediately
Rotowire
Kwan started in left field and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Tuesday's 9-4 win over the Yankees.
Kwan made an impact in his first game back from a stay on the bereavement list. He was back in what has now become a familiar spot -- seventh in the batting order. The erstwhile leadoff hitter lost that job earlier this season under the weight of a season-opening slump. Since being dropped in the order, Kwan has gone 10-for-38 with a double, 11 walks, two RBI and nine runs scored over 13 contests.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Activated, starting Tuesday
Rotowire
The Guardians reinstated Kwan (personal) from the bereavement/family medical emergency list, and he's starting in left field and batting seventh Tuesday against the Yankees, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
The 28-year-old stepped away from the team Thursday to be with his family for personal reasons, but he's rejoined the Guardians for Tuesday's series opener in the Bronx. In the four games prior to his absence, Kwan went 5-for-14 with two walks, one RBI and two runs scored. He's without an extra-base hit in his past eight contests and is slugging just .259 through 234 plate appearances this year.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Goes on bereavement list
Rotowire
The Guardians placed Kwan on the bereavement/family medical emergency list Thursday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
By rule, Kwan will miss the Guardians' next three games and as many as seven contests. The club will make a corresponding roster move prior to Friday's game against the Red Sox. While Kwan is away, Cleveland could use Chase DeLauter more in the outfield and employ Rhys Hoskins at designated hitter.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Records three hits in win
Rotowire
Kwan went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's 3-1 win over Philadelphia.
Kwan ended an 0-for-10 run with a second-inning single and then drove in the Guardians' first run in the fifth inning. The multi-hit effort was his first since May 8. In nine games since the slumping Kwan was dropped from the leadoff spot, he's gone 6-for-24 with nine walks, one double and two RBI.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Responds to new spot in order
Rotowire
Kwan batted seventh and went 1-for-2 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Tigers.
After years serving as the Guardians' primary leadoff batter, Kwan's early-season slump prompted a recent drop in the batting order. Over the last four games he's hit either sixth or seventh, and he's been an on-base machine, going 2-for-8 with eight walks and five runs scored. He's also provided the usual Gold Glove defense in left or center field. He told Tim Stebbins of MLB.com that his swing feels better, and he's being aggressive when appropriate. To Kwan's credit, the slump hasn't led to him chasing (91st percentile), and Kwan will take the free base (15.7 BB%) if pitchers aren't in the zone.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Dropped in order
Rotowire
Kwan batted sixth for a second straight game and went 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored in Sunday's 10-3 win over the Reds.
It was 2022 the last time Kwan batted somewhere other than leadoff before this weekend's games against the Reds. He's responded to the move with a hit, four walks and three runs scored while the Guardians' offense erupted for 17 runs in wins over Cincinnati. A few weeks ago, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt chalked up Kwan's slow start this season to a tough month, per Cade Cracas of SI.com, but three weeks later, the leadoff batter was slashing .201/.308/.258, so Vogt made the move. Daniel Schneemann has at least temporarily taken over the top spot in the order.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Back in action Sunday
Rotowire
Kwan (neck) is leading off and starting in center field Sunday versus the Blue Jays.
Kwan didn't start Friday and was then a late scratch Saturday due to nick stiffness. However, the issue seems to have been minor given the outfielder's return one day later. Kwan will look to get back on track at the plate after going 2-for-18 over his previous seven contests.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: No injury concerns
Rotowire
Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt told Tim Stebbins of MLB.com the decision to rest Kwan on Friday after Thursday's off day was not due to health. Kwan eventually entered Friday's 8-6 win over Toronto in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement.
Vogt said he was looking to get Kwan a two-day rest and using the off day was a way to accomplish that. In a related discussion, the manager downplayed the impact of Kwan playing both left and center field this season on the outfielder's offensive production. "I don't think it's affecting his bat by any means," Vogt said. "I think it's just a new workload for him that he's never had in the big leagues." Kwan carried a .227/.315/.289 slash line through 25 games into Friday. For comparison, he slashed .343/.398/.505 over the first 25 games in 2025.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Exiting starting nine Sunday
Rotowire
Kwan is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.
Kwan will hit the bench for the first time all season after making 15 straight starts to kick off the campaign. Angel Martinez will draw a start in left field and will be replace Kwan as the Guardians' leadoff hitter in the series finale in Atlanta.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Hits rare homer
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 4-2 loss to the Royals.
In 593 career games, Kwan has homered 36 times which equates to about one homer every 16 games. Homers aren't the strong suit of the 28-year-old's game, but he slugged his first of the year Monday against the Royals after having 11 last year. Overall on the season, Kwan is slashing .244/.326/.366 with four walks, six strikeouts, two doubles and three RBI.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Gets first start in center field
Rotowire
Kwan started in center field and went 2-for-4 in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Mariners.
Kwan made his first start of the regular season in center field after being exposed to the new position during spring training. His move to center cleared the way for prospect CJ Kayfus to operate in left field.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Comes up clutch Saturday
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with a walk, one RBI and two stolen bases in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Rays.
Kwan swiped two bags for the second straight night, but his biggest contribution came in the ninth when he delivered the go-ahead RBI single. The 28-year-old has hit safely in nine of his past 11 games, piling up four multi-hit efforts in six September contests. For the year, he's slashing .275/.333/.381 with 10 homers, 47 RBI, 70 runs scored and 18 steals across 599 plate appearances.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Fighting out of slump
Rotowire
Kwan went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Monday's 3-1 win over Arizona.
Kwan extended a hit streak to six games, during which he's gone 9-for-24 (.375) with two extra-base hits, three steals and five runs scored. Prior to his recent uprising, Kwan went 6-for-40 (.150) over nine games. He's up to 14 stolen bases through 118 contests.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Logs two hits in loss
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with a double in Friday's 2-0 loss to Atlanta.
Kwan was the lone Guardian to record hits in the loss. August hasn't been kind to Kwan, who is slashing .211/.237/.298 over 13 games. The second-half drop-off in 2025 is similar to what happened last year, when Kwan recorded a .206/.316/.302 slash line after the All-Star break.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Goes yard in nightcap
Rotowire
Kwan went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run, a walk and a second run scored in a 6-4 win over the Royals in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
Kwan also went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts and a run scored in the first game of the twin bill. The light-hitting outfielder has homered three times over his last three games, and he has eight RBI over eight contests dating back to July 12. For the season, he's slashing .286/.351/.413 with nine homers, 37 RBI, 50 runs scored, 20 doubles, one triple and 11 stolen bases across 98 games as Cleveland's primary leadoff hitter.
