Potential SF Giants target could become available in trade talks this offseason

The Cleveland Guardians do not often let players reach free agency, and Steven Kwan has one year of team control remaining. Robert Murray of FanSided spoke to executives around the league who believe that the potential SF Giants could be moved this offseason.

Internally, the Giants like Kwan's skill set, and he would immediately boost an outfield group that was one of the worst in baseball. They have been interested in him for a few seasons, but Murray speculates that the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs could also be interested in the four-time Gold Glove winner.

Presumably, the Los Angeles Dodgers could also be involved as well. If the Giants throw their hat in the ring, they will face stiff competition.

Kwan is a good player, and he makes the Guardians a better team. However, Cleveland operates in a specific way, and that way rarely leads to key players reaching free agency following the conclusion of their rookie contracts.

Steven Kwan would have been a fit for the SF Giants in prior seasons, but is that still the case in 2027?

Instead, the Guardians aim to recover value, since team control is often viewed as an asset in trade talks. Kwan is entering the final year of arbitration. MLB Trade Rumors projects him to earn $11.3 million, which is still a relative bargain for a player of his caliber.

The Giants have a need in the outfield, and more than enough payroll space to afford Kwan. In recent seasons, there has certainly been a case where trading for the 29-year-old outfielder would have made a lot of sense for the Giants.

Heading into the 2027 season, that may not be the case. They are coming off a 65-win season, and the outfield needs to be redone, but does adding a player of Kwan's caliber for one year justify the potential trade cost when it would not do enough to close the gap between the Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, or Los Angeles Dodgers?

Plus, the Giants already have enough left-handed-hitting outfielders, and similar to that group, Kwan has some extreme platoon splits against left-handed pitching. That said, his defense, baserunning, and contact bring enough value to the table to justify keeping him in the lineup in those matchups.

With the uncertainty surrounding the 2027 season, it also makes facilitating a trade hard to do. That is why a trade may not be completed until after any potential lockout is lifted.

Kwan is a free agent after the 2027 season. He does a lot of what the Giants like in a player, and he grew up locally. He attended Washington High School in Fremont, California, before attending Oregon State University. However, the Giants may not be in a competitive position where this type of deal makes sense.

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