The Cleveland Guardians have earned some trust from their fans for consistently outperforming their payroll, but many people are understandably taking umbrage with how the team has handled the Steven Kwan situation. They are not too happy with the fourth-year left fielder, either, following the news that he is considered day-to-day with a wrist injury.
Kwan competed in his second career MLB All-Star Game this past Tuesday, despite both parties knowing that he would need to address a lingering wrist issue. He had an appointment scheduled with the Guardians’ doctors after the Midsummer Classic, but manager Stephen Vogt says the team encouraged him to play anyway, per Leah Doherty of Cleveland 19 News. The organization was aware that Kwan could have required an injection and still gave the 27-year-old its blessing.
He was 1-for-2 with one stolen base, notching the infield single that tied the game at six runs apiece before the American League lost in the inaugural swing-off. Sure enough, Kwan received a shot in his wrist the next day, forcing him to miss at least two games coming out of the break.
There are strong reactions aplenty, on both sides of the aisle, following this development.
#Guardians Steven Kwan is out tonight and is day-to-day with a wrist injury he has been dealing with for the past month.
Stephen Vogt on encouraging Kwan to play in the All-Star game amid his injury: pic.twitter.com/Teja9GmVWy
— Leah Doherty (@LeahDohertyTV) July 18, 2025
Guardians fans share their opinions about the Steven Kwan controversy
“I like Steven Vogt,” @GuardsJoey posted on X. “I believe Steven Vogt is an above average manager. But encouraging Steven Kwan to play in the All-Star game KNOWING FULL WELL HE WAS DEALING WITH A WRIST INJURY is so mind numbingly stupid I can’t even comprehend that it actually happened.”
“Two things can be true: Steven Kwan is a Cleveland favorite, and he genuinely loves this city,” ESPN Cleveland Browns reporter Brad Stainbrook remarked. “But if he wasn’t healthy enough to play in a regular season game, it’s a bad look to suit up for the All-Star Game. Just look at how José Ramírez handled it.”
Ramirez skipped the festivities to focus on rest and recovery. Maybe Kwan could have benefited from doing the same. Others believe he was justified in reaping the rewards of his All-Star selection.
“It sucks that Steven Kwan is missing time due to injury, but I have zero problem w/ him playing in the All-Star game and I think it is ridiculous that anyone would complain about it,” Adam the Bull opined. “Complain about the cheap ass owner & the front office not one of the few good players we have.”
And then there are those who tried to play peacekeeper among the impassioned fandom. “This Steven Kwan stuff has gotten ridiculous,” @FranmilsEyebrow declared. “Was it smart to go to the ASG? No. Does that mean he doesn’t love Cleveland? Absolutely not. Should he have stayed home and got his shot earlier? Absolutely. Should we still try and extend him, reasonably? Of course. Let’s chill.”
Kwan and management both could have gone about this a different way
While it is endearing to know that participating in the All-Star Game means so much to the three-time Gold Glover, it is undeniably irresponsible for the player and club to prioritize an exhibition game over the Guardians’ regular season. Perhaps doctors could have treated Kwan earlier if he chose to sit out, thereby decreasing the amount of time he misses.
Fortunately, the Guards were able to score plenty of runs without him in Friday’s 8-6 victory versus the Athletics, but that does not excuse everyone involved for jeopardizing the team’s competitive aspirations. Yes, earning an invitation to a national showcase is an honor that one cannot take for granted. And yes, Cleveland is 47-49 and four and a half games out of a Wild Card slot. A playoff berth seems unlikely at the moment.
However, until the franchise commits to being a seller, fans expect it to do everything possible to compile wins. That did not happen this week. If the Guardians are planning to deal their former fifth-round draft pick ahead of the MLB trade deadline, then this decision process makes more sense. A large portion of the fan base is still going to be dissatisfied, though.
Kwan has two years left of arbitration before becoming a free agent. He is batting .285 with six home runs, 32 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, a .345 on-base percentage, .396 slugging percentage and .741 OPS in 92 games this season. Cleveland is trying to stay afloat in his absence.
