MLB Mock Blockbuster Trade: Cleveland Guardians Deal Steven Kwan to New York Mets

If the Guardians decide to sell at the trade deadline, Steven Kwan would have plenty of suitors. The New York Mets would be very close to the top of that list.

Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; American League outfielder Steven Kwan (38) of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI single in the ninth inning during the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Steven Kwan has consistently been an elite leadoff hitter and defensive player in his first four seasons in the big leagues in Cleveland.

The 27-year-old outfielder appeared in his second straight All-Star Game last week in Atlanta and is coming off a third straight Gold Glove award.

The problem is the Guardians are currently two games under .500 and 4.5 games back of the last AL Wild Card spot. Like most in the American League, they remain alive, but are they a serious contender?

Probably not.

That's where Kwan comes into play at the trade deadline.

.@JeffPassan says the Guardians will listen to offers on Steven Kwan and lists it at a 20% chance that they trade him.

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/eSJp3IIgj2

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 21, 2025

The New York Mets are in dire need of a center fielder that can hit. They are getting next to nothing offensively from Tyrone Taylor and now are playing Jeff McNeil more often in CF. While Kwan has been a left fielder for the most part, he's played a handful of games in center. If the Mets can be comfortable playing McNeil at that position, which he never played a game before, it seems like they would be fine having Kwan play center for them.

Kwan's stat line hitting .288 with a .345 on-base with six home runs and 32 RBIs would be a massive upgrade from Taylor's .211 average and .264 OBP with two homers and 17 RBIs. Kwan also has two more years of arbitration before he can become a free agent.

Let's explore a potential Guardians-Mets deal that would make sense.

Cleveland Guardians-New York Mets Mock Trade

Cleveland Guardians receive Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña and Mets No. 5 prospect and starting pitcher Brandon Sproat.

New York Mets receive outfielder Steven Kwan.

The Guardians have a pretty big hole in their middle infield. They are not getting much production at all out of shortstop Bryan Rocchio and Daniel Schneemann. Acuña can play both shortstop and second base and is an elite defender. He's got room to grow offensively as his numbers have been up and down, but his power has not been there this season.

Acuña came up to the big leagues for an injured Francisco Lindor last September and shined the two weeks he was here. He's shown flashes of hitting and is just 23 years old. He's hitting just .243 with no homers and seven RBIs, but has stolen 11 bases. He's made several Gold Glove-like plays on the infield. Ronald's brother would give the Guardians a player with tons of potential.

Brandon Sproat has shined in his last four starts in triple-A Syracuse, giving up just one run and eight hits over 23 innings pitched. After a rocky start, he's now brought his ERA down to 4.34 over 19 starts. The 24-year-old has loads of potential and would give the Guardians a much-needed starting pitcher, where they don't have much. Sproat would probably jump right to the big leagues later this season in Cleveland.

For the Mets, they get a two-time All Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and a player with postseason success, which is where they expect to be for the next few years and counting. Kwan has hit .347 in 17 playoff games with a .413 OBP. The Mets can cement him right in his usual leadoff spot and have a 1-5 in the lineup of Kwan, Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo.

Kwan has much more appeal if he became available than rentals like Luis Robert Jr. and Cedric Mullins for a Mets offense that badly needs a spark.

What better way to spark a Mets offense than right at the top of the lineup?

What the Guardians do the next week will be very telling of what direction they go in, but if they became sellers, the Mets certainly have pieces in their system that can help Cleveland for the long run moving forward.