The Cleveland Guardians are 30-25, which places second in a competitive AL Central and puts them front and center in the Wild Card race. If last season wasn't proof enough, the Guardians are here to stay. This is a good club. But, like all small-market teams, there are limits to what the front office can do, which means the roster is not without its flaws. Injuries tend to shine a bright light on those shortcomings.
Cleveland boasts arguably the best pitching staff in the American League front to back. Few organizations have proven more adept at finding and developing arms, and Cleveland's ability to win with a good-not-great offense is a feature, not a bug. That offense can get flimsy at times, though, and the Guardians really can't afford a major injury.
So, when Steven Kwan made every Cleveland fan's heart skip a beat on Wednesday, well... it was only the natural reaction.
Kwan appeared to be in immediate pain after a foul ball in the first inning of their 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is on the injury report with "wrist inflammation," along with fellow outfielder Lane Thomas, who missed the Dodgers showdown with plantar fasciitis.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt expects Kwan back in the lineup on Friday, but this was a concerning reminder of how thin Cleveland's outfield depth chart is right now.
Guardians cannot afford another Steven Kwan injury as outfield depth fades
Kwan has once again performed well in the leadoff spot for Cleveland, splitting .311/.371/.425 with four home runs, 19 RBI and seven stolen bases through 212 at-bats. He may not slug much, but Kwan puts the bat on the ball as frequently as anyone in baseball, consistently getting on base and shifting Cleveland's offense into gear.
He's not the rangiest athlete in left field, but Kwan has a canon attached to his right shoulder and is still capable of some majestic snags. He's maybe not a five-tool star, but he's a solid four-tool star, with an occasional foray into that fifth realm.
More than just being good, Kwan is essential to Cleveland's lineup because of his durability — and the lack of depth behind him. Kwan has never missed a catastrophic amount of time in his first three big-league seasons. Right now, the Guardians can't really afford for that to change.
Cleveland's outfield is a mess. Angel Martinez has been utterly fine with a .700 OPS and 0.4 WAR, but the Guardians' other three outfield bodies — Nolan Jones, Lane Thomas and Jhonkensy Noel — have a combined -2.0 WAR for the season. Jones leads that uninspiring pack with a .568 OPS, which is... fairly dire.
Lane Thomas was a postseason hero less than a year ago, but he is bordering on unplayable right now. Jones was once on a star's trajectory in Colorado, but the 27-year-old has fallen off in profound and unexpected ways. The Guards just cannot replace an injured Kwan.
Thankfully, Kwan does not seem seriously hurt right now, but this was a true scare for a fanbase in an otherwise positive headspace. The Guardians have the tools to be feisty in the playoffs again, but only if the baseball gods smile upon them and health prevails.