4 months ago
- Guardians
- Published: Jan. 07, 2026, 4:26 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — When past play ended for nan Guardians, they had 8 players eligible for arbitration. Now they person 1 — Steven Kwan.
Kwan and nan Guardians, should they not scope a woody beforehand, will speech net figures for nan 2026 play connected Friday. If nan 2 cannot scope a woody astatine that point, nan Guardians could spell to an arbitration proceeding pinch 1 of their champion players.
- Guardians re-sign seasoned catcher to insignificant convention woody pinch spring-training invitation
- How nan Guardians’ waste and acquisition for Justin Bruhil triggered a roster domino effect for aggregate MLB careers
- A championship-caliber squad is still sitting successful free agency: Could immoderate of these MLB stars onshore pinch nan Guardians?
MLB Trade Rumors projected that Kwan could gain $8.8 cardinal if he went to arbitration. Baseball Prospectus projects his 2026 net astatine $9.175 million. Kwan made $4.175 cardinal past year.
In nan past, nan 2 sides person talked astir a multiyear extension, but erstwhile nan 2026 play starts, Kwan will beryllium 2 years removed from free agency. When a subordinate gets that adjacent to free agency, nan chances of a squad signing him to an hold go much difficult. It’s particularly existent erstwhile a subordinate has performed arsenic consistently arsenic Kwan, a four-time Gold Glove victor and two-time All-Star successful near field.
Another facet could play a domiciled successful preventing a imaginable extension. The basal statement ends aft nan 2026 season, and location is talk of a prolonged activity stoppage.
Last season, Kwan deed .272 (170 for 625) pinch 81 runs and 21 steals successful 26 attempts. He deed 29 doubles pinch 11 homers and a .768 OPS (on-base percent + slugging percentage).
In 4 years successful Cleveland, Kwan is simply a .281 (649 for 2306) hitter pinch 346 runs, 36 homers and 206 RBI. He has a 3.7 WAR and a .741 OPS.
If a woody isn’t reached by Friday, nan Guardians would apt travel nan attack astir MLB teams person taken: going to arbitration moreover though a woody tin beryllium negotiated astatine immoderate clip earlier a proceeding starts.
Of nan 8 Guardians who were eligible for arbitration astatine nan extremity of past season, 3 signed one-year deals — Nolan Jones $2 million, David Fry $1.375 cardinal and Matt Festa $1 million. Will Brennan and Sam Hentges were non-tendered. Kolby Allard and Ben Lively were outrighted disconnected nan 40-man roster and became free agents earlier successful nan offseason.
Kwan, providing he’s not traded, would beryllium nan Guardians’ biggest expenditure of nan winter. They surely haven’t gone overboard successful their spending.
Cleveland’s biggest disbursal to day has been nan $5.5 cardinal woody they gave free supplier right-hander Shawn Armstrong. He’ll make $4 cardinal successful 2026 pinch a $1.5 buyout connected an $8 cardinal communal action for 2027.
They presently person an estimated $56 cardinal committed to 11 players. If they salary nan remaining 15 players connected nan 26-man roster an estimated net of $800,000 each — nan awesome convention minimum for nan 2026 play is $780,000 — their payroll would beryllium an estimated $78 million.
That does not see nan $3.5 cardinal they beryllium right-hander Trevor Stephan, who is not connected nan 40-man roster, but is expected to beryllium invited to camp. They besides beryllium $1 cardinal to Myles Straw, who they traded to Toronto successful September of 2023.
Last season, erstwhile nan Guardians won their 2nd consecutive AL Central title, they opened nan twelvemonth pinch a payroll of an estimated $100 million.
The Guardians still person clip to summation nan payroll earlier nan regular play opens March 26. They person made it clear they don’t want to adhd mid-tier free agents who could stunt nan improvement of nan halfway of players they person been processing complete nan past respective seasons.
The past clip nan Guardians opened a play pinch a payroll little than $78 cardinal was 2022. They went into that play opener pinch a $68 cardinal payroll and won nan AL Central pinch 92 wins.
Paul Hoynes, calved successful Cleveland, has been nan hit writer for nan Indians/Guardians since 1983. He attended Cathedral Latin High School successful Cleveland and received a publicity grade from Marquette University. He...
