The Guardians need Steven Kwan as much as rice needs beans.
With a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, the Cleveland Guardians are back in the playoffs. Now, when will All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan return from injury?
Kwan provided a positive update via Bally Sports Cleveland.
“Soon. “It should be sooner rather than later,” Kwan said.
Kwan last played on September 12 and was scratched the next day due to bodily exhaustion, according to MLB.com’s Mandy Bell. Cleveland then placed the 27-year-old on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday.
Kwan confessed it was “bittersweet” not to be on the field as the Guardians secured a playoff spot.
“Yeah for sure, it’s a little bittersweet, but bigger picture,” Kwan exclaimed. “I mean, this wasn’t our end goal; our ultimate goal is to win the World Series; this is just a drop in the bucket and a step in the right direction.” We have a lot of baseball coming soon, so make sure we’re prepared for that.”
Most importantly, Kwan is completely healthy for October.
Steven Kwan can take the Guardians to the next level
Kwan is only in his third year, yet he is already on his second manager and playoff appearance. Under Terry Francona, Cleveland finished first in 2022, but lost 3-2 to the New York Yankees in the ALDS. However, Francona resigned following the Guardians’ 76-86 record previous season. This year, however, reminds Kwan of ’22.
“Yeah, my first year in 2022 was quite hectic. “We felt on top of the world that year,” Kwan remarked. “We had big expectations for 2023, but things did not go as planned. Coming into 2024, it was reminiscent of 2022. To be able to come through and secure a dub today is fantastic.”
Kwan also praised incoming Cleveland manager Steve Vogt.
“He allows us to do our jobs. He doesn’t micromanage; he trusts us and believes in us every day, which I think is crucial,” Kwan added. “In turn, we wanna win for him, we wanna play for him, and the results speak for themselves.”
While a competent manager is crucial, good players are the most important, and Kwan is one of the finest in the MLB. The lefty is slicing.In 120 games, he batted 291/.364/.419 and had 13 home runs, 43 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. He and slugger Jose Ramirez form a “Thunder and Lightning” combo that can propel teams to unprecedented heights.
