Should The Guardians Expect An Explosive Return For Steven Kwan?

With Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan being activated off the IL, fans should know what to expect from the struggling outfielder.

Sep 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) at bat against the Kansas City Royals in the eight inning at Kauffman Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians activated Steven Kwan from the 10-day injured list Wednesday. While questions loom about how productive the outfielder will be coming off the injury, Kwan should be able to answer those quickly with a hot return to the lineup.

While baseball remains a game of repetitions, players can benefit from much-needed rest. Before September, the last time Kwan got to take a game off was June 7th. The break came when he was fresh off a hamstring injury he suffered earlier in the year. 

It wasn’t the traditional method of rest, but taking the time off due to injury can serve the same effect. From May 31st, when he returned from the hamstring injury, until the end of June, Kwan was hitting a whopping .393. 

Then, as the All-Star break came and went in July, he Kwan batted just .201 for the remainder of the year. He went from the best leadoff hitter in baseball to one of the league’s worst. 

Luckily, the Gold Glove Award winner has already shown the ability to bounce back from an injury. Maybe expecting him to hit near the .400 mark is a bit ambitious, but it's realistic to think he can once again be effective.

Defensively, the Guardians get one of the league's premier defenders back in the outfield. In 112 games this season, he’s posting a career-best .995 fielding percentage, only committing one error. The left fielder has also added nine outfield assists this year, just one off his career-high.

Kwan will have just four regular season games to get reacquainted with the team. After that, he’ll have the opportunity to take a few more days off with the Guardians earning a trip straight to the ALDS by claiming a top two seed in the league. 

Ultimately, the Guardians are far better off having Kwan than not having him. If the past is any indication, the lefty should return in full force just in time to help the Guardians make a postseason run.