
The Major League Baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint, and every team inevitably faces its share of obstacles. For the Guardians, one of the concerns as they look to make a postseason push is the recent offensive slump of their sparkplug outfielder, Steven Kwan. Known for his relentless approach at the plate, contact skills, and high on-base percentage, Kwan’s struggles have raised questions. Is he still nursing his lingering wrist injury? Did the noise of a possible trade at the deadline get in his head?
Whatever the issue, as the Guardians fight for position in a crowded playoff race, the need for Kwan to rediscover his form is important. Yes, despite Kwan’s plate performance, the Guardians are playing red hot. Across their last 29 games since July 7 Cleveland is 21-8. However, if Kwan can break out this would provide the Guards with an upper hand as they chase a playoff spot.
The Slump: A closer look
Cleveland’s leadoff hitter is known for his uncanny ability to get on base, set the tone, and drive pitchers to distraction. Kwan’s approach at the plate—refusing to chase bad pitches, rarely striking out—became a revelation in an era obsessed with launch angles and home runs. Yet, as the dog days of summer descend, Kwan’s numbers have taken a noticeable dip.
Over his last 30 games, Kwan’s batting average has dropped nearly 40 points from his season mark, with his on-base percentage lagging as well. The leadoff man who once seemed destined to flirt with a .300 average has instead hovered around .250 in recent months. His walk rate is down, strikeouts have crept up, and the quality of his contact—once the envy of hitters across the league—has suffered.
Kwan is the definition of “Guards Ball”

Photo via Charles Murray
The Guardians, built on pitching and defense, have often struggled to produce runs consistently. While José Ramírez remains the heart of the lineup, it’s Kwan’s ability to get on base, set the table, and put pressure on defenses that catalyzes the offense. When Kwan reaches base, good things tend to follow…hit-and-run opportunities, aggressive baserunning, and chaos that disrupts even the most disciplined opponents.
Without Kwan functioning as the leadoff engine, the Guardians’ offense risks stagnating. His slump has coincided with cold stretches for other lineup fixtures, magnifying the impact of his absence from the base paths. The margin for error in the American League Central is razor-thin, and Cleveland needs their left fielder to play a bigger role. Especially, with a surging Kyle Manzardo in the lineup more consistently, Kwan can do some real damage. With a playoff berth hanging in the balance, the team simply cannot afford prolonged droughts from a player so critical to their style of play.
A look at the road to October
The Guardians have their foot on the gas pedal since early July. During this stretch the Guardians have made up ground in the AL Central race. After trailing Detroit by 15.5 games on July 6. Cleveland is now within six games of the Tigers in the AL Central. The Guards have also improved their Wild Card standing by 6.5 games – currently 0.5G back of the Yankees – after being 7.0 games behind Seattle on July 6. If the Guardians continue to play well and Kwan finds his way out of his slump, this team has a very real shot at the playoffs. They’re winning without Kwan being Kwan and Cleveland will be dangerous if their left fielder gets back to form.

Recent Comments