Steven Kwan’s Historic 2024 Start Continues In Guardians’ Win Over A’s

On Saturday, Kwan became the first Cleveland player with six-or-more games of three-or-more hits in the first 21 games of a season since Lou Boudreau in 1948.

While Steven Kwan has established his presence in Major League Baseball as one of the premier fielders with back-to-back Gold Gloves, it has been his reliable bat at the top of the lineup that has been one of the sparks for the Cleveland Guardians' hot start to the 2024 campaign.

That spark shined bright on Saturday night against the Oakland Athletics, as he tallied four hits and two runs. In 20 games played so far this season, Kwan leads MLB in batting average (.374) and hits (34), while leading the American League in runs (21).

From a historical sense, the 26-year-old is on a run to start the season that has seldom been seen in a Cleveland uniform.

Firstly, this is his sixth game of three-or-more hits in 2024. According to Stathead, the last Cleveland hitter to do that in the first 21 team games of a single season was Lou Boudreau in 1948. Kwan is the fifth to ever do it for Cleveland, also joining Lyn Lary (1937), Tris Speaker (1922), and Nap Lajoie (1904).

Apr 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) celebrates after scoring during the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Progressive Field.

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Secondly, Saturday marked Kwan’s seventh career game of four-or-more hits. With Saturday also being his 325th career game, he joined Asdrúbal Cabrera as the only Cleveland hitters to accomplish this in their first 325 games since 1957, per Stathead.

Thirdly, his 34 hits and 21 runs through 21 team games to start 2024 has only been done two other times in franchise history, per Stathead, by Carlos Baerga (1995) and Lyn Lary (1937). Kwan is also the 12th MLB player since 1969 to start the first 21 games of a season with those numbers.

If he can keep up this historic pace, the Guardians’ left fielder may put together a campaign that Clevelanders will remember for a long time.