Steven Kwan was not traded before the deadline

Steven Kwan was a popular trade target for Phillies fans, with it seeming at times over the last few days that he would be traded by the Cleveland Guardians. 

But Kwan wasn't ultimately dealt, according to The Athletic's Zack Meisel: 

The Guardians are not trading Steven Kwan, per source.

— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) July 31, 2025

Kwan, 27, would have given the Phillies' lineup another left-handed bat, which they didn't necessarily need. However, he's someone that regularly puts the ball in play, so he could have hit near the top of the lineup. He's also a tremendous defender in left field, with 14 defensive runs saved this year and Gold Glove Awards in the previous three seasons. 

The Phillies could easily circle back to Kwan in the offseason. He's got two remaining arbitration years after 2025, so he would still be a controllable player. With one less pennant race, maybe the price on him would be more in a place that the Phillies are comfortable with. 

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski reiterated after yesterday's trade for closer Jhoan Durán that the team didn't intend to trade Andrew Painter, and that will seemingly still be the case in the offseason. The Phillies will, though, likely have a better idea of what they have in Justin Crawford at that point. 

Dombrowski did make a more modest addition in the outfield before Thursday's deadline, acquiring veteran Harrison Bader from the Minnesota Twins. Bader, 31, is a tremendous defender that could play left field, center field or some combination. He's not the offensive player that Kwan is, but with 12 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .778 OPS, Bader certainly represents an upgrade over Max Kepler and/or Johan Rojas. 

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