Guardians trade proposal sends All-Star outfielder to the New York Mets

The Cleveland Guardians are in a strange spot at the trade deadline. The team is currently outside the American League playoff picture, but has plenty of valuable assets that they can trade in exchange for younger talent. 

One player that has been heavily linked in trade talks for the Guardians is Steven Kwan. The two-time All-Star is hitting .286 with 9 home runs and a .761 OPS this season. Kwan has excellent bat-to-ball skills and plays elite defense in the outfield, making him a highly sought after talent on the trade market at the deadline. 

Sports Illustrated’s Alan Goldsher proposed a mock trade that lands the Gold Glove outfielder with the New York Mets. 

The full trade is as follows:

Mets receive: Steven Kwan

Guardians receive: RHP Blake Tidwell (#10 Mets prospect)

2B Jett Williams (#5 Mets prospect)

RHP Calvin Ziegler (#20 Mets prospect)

Goldsher made the case for trading Kwan for the haul of Mets prospects.

“Moving on from Kwan would be a sure sign that the 53-54 Guardians are calling a wrap on the 2025 season,” Goldsher wrote. “A toolsy, Alex Bregman-esque player, the highly-touted Williams would be the jewel of the haul, and could find himself getting some run after the September call-ups. And Tidwell has a Major League slider that, come 2027, would soften the blow of losing Kwan.”

Kwan has become a fan favorite during his tenure in Cleveland, so moving him would likely be unpopular, but it might be a necessary choice in order to rev up for the future.