Blue Jays Linked to Guardians Star, but Trade Value Could Be a Sticking Point

There would be some complications in the Toronto Blue Jays acquiring the Cleveland Guardians star.

Jun 26, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) slides into second with a double as Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) is late with the tag during the first inning at Progressive Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays have cemented their status as playoff contenders and buyers ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline with a recent hot stretch.

Prior to their 2-1 loss at the hands of the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, the team was riding a 10-game winning streak, which included a sweep of the New York Yankees.

That helped catapult them into first place in the American League East, owning a record of 54-39 and currently leading the Yankees by 2.5 games.

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With their playoff odds currently sitting at 81.1% according to Baseball Reference, it would make sense for the Blue Jays to be aggressive in seeking out upgrades ahead of the deadline at the end of the month.

A lot of their focus is going to be on starting pitching, which their front office has made clear in discussions with other teams around the league that adding to their rotation is their top priority.

Toronto is going to search high and low for starting pitching help, and preferably, the player they acquire is controllable for multiple years since Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt are on an expiring contracts and Kevin Gausman’s deal expires after the 2026 campaign.

Alas, starting pitching isn’t the only area of the roster the Blue Jays would love to upgrade.

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If possible, adding a left fielder would also make some sense as they has been a weak spot in the lineup all year long.

One player that would be the perfect addition to fill that void is Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians.

As shared by Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required), the Guardians are going to listen if teams call them about their All-Star left fielder.

An on-base machine and three-time Gold Glove Award winner, Kwan would bring a lot to the table that Toronto is lacking.

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However, Bowden isn’t sure the teams match up well to make a deal.

“I’m just not sure where the fit is from the Guardians’ perspective. They’re looking for middle-of-the-order power, and the Jays just don’t have that in their farm system or on the major-league roster (in terms of players they would consider dealing),” the former MLB executive wrote.

Some commonground could always be found during negotiations, but it could be difficult for these two teams to find given what the Blue Jays have to offer in a trade.

Under team control through 2027, Cleveland will only trade Kwan away if it gets exactly what it is looking for in a return package.

Toronto will certainly try, but a deal may not be in the cards unless they can come up with something creative to get the Guardians attention despite not matching the need they are looking to address.

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