NL West rivals seem poised to steal perfect SF Giants trade target

The SF Giants seem highly unlikely to be buyers at the 2025 MLB trade deadline given their recent free fall in the second half. If they had been buyers, Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan would have been a perfect fit, but he is now heavily connected to two NL West rivals.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have both been linked to Kwan recently. With Cleveland right around .500 and their closer Emmanuel Clase being put on paid leave as MLB conducts a sports-betting investigation, it seems they are entertaining selling off their more enticing pieces like Kwan and starting pitcher Shane Bieber.

SF Giants could have perfect trade target stolen by Dodgers or Padres

Kwan would be an attractive addition to pretty much any team. On the season, he is slashing .286/.350/.408 with nine home runs and 38 runs batted in. He made his second All-Star Game this season and he is a three-time Gold Glove winner known for his superb defense in left field. He also has 11 stolen bases on the year so he can cause problems on the bases as well.

A high-contact hitter like Kwan would have been a welcome presence on a Giants team that has struggled on offense for much of the year. Kwan does have a similar profile to center fielder Jung Hoo Lee, but Lee’s struggles, as well as Mike Yastrzemski's, have made it necessary to consider whether adding a player like Kwan would make sense.

Alas, with the Giants now under .500 and already selling off some of their bullpen arms, bringing Kwan, a Los Gatos native, back to the Bay Area seems like a dream from a distant time when the Giants actually seemed like legitimate playoff contenders. 

Now, that dream could turn into a complete nightmare if he ends up with the Dodgers. We know the Dodgers have no qualms about making big trades to try and win, and even though they are first in the NL West, they are not the uber-powerful juggernaut many would have expected coming into the year.

The Padres are still right in the running for the NL West and are right in the NL Wild Card picture. Adding Kwan would greatly increase their chances of being able to hang with the Dodgers down the stretch.

It is a shame that the Giants were not in a better position right now because trading for Kwan always seemed like a move that made a lot of sense. Now, the team will probably try to sell off more of their bullpen arms as they begin to subtly turn the page on what is shaping up to be a disappointing 2025 season. 

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