Hypothetical Trade Idea Sends Guardians 2x All-Star To Royals: Why It Makes Sense

The Royals outfield needs a lot of work.

A ball cap sports the Cleveland Guardians logo in the third inning of the MLB Inter-league game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. | Sam Greene / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals failed to make it back to the postseason in 2025 after going 82-80 and finishing in third place in the American League Central.

Their main issue this season was their lack of offense, especially from the outfield. Almost every solution to the problem that they tried failed. Even calling up top prospect Jac Caglianone didn't give them the spark they needed to be a consistent contender.

Adding a bat to their outfield mix would be most beneficial for a team that needs a boost offensively. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed a potential fit from the Cleveland Guardians that could make sense for them.

Royals Mock Trade Lands 2x All-Star From Guardians

A banner with the Cleveland Guardians' new logo hangs from a parking deck before an MLB baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Though Kansas City has come a long way since its 106-loss disaster in 2023, its outfield has not, with an 'as outfield' fWAR of 0.1 over the past two seasons combined. Kyle Isbel is respectable enough in center and the hope is that Jac Caglianone has a far more productive 2026 in right field. Left field remains a gaping hole, though, and trading for someone like Duran or Cleveland's Steven Kwan could be a colossal move that shakes up the AL Central heading into next season," Miller wrote.

Kwan hit .272/.330/.374 with 11 home runs, 56 RBI, 21 stolen bases, 3.7 Wins Above Replacement and a .705 OPS. He is a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner.

It's important to note that trades within the same division, especially between two contenders are incredibly rare. But the Royals are desperate for an outfield bat, and the Guardians only have two more years of control over Kwan.

Cleveland has shown a propensity to trade players before the walk years of their contract. The Royals have some intriguing prospects such as Blake Mitchell and Carter Jensen that teams could show interest in.

While Kwan doesn't hit for much power, he makes up for it with his contact skills and speed. This could give the Royals a true leadoff hitter with a better recent track record than that of Jonathan India, who didn't pan out for them this season.

The Royals also would have a much better chance at getting back into the AL Central picture in 2026. The Guardians would ask for a lot, but the Royals need to be willing to step out of their comfort zone if they want to be back in contention.

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