Padres Predicted To Trade For Gold Glove Outfielder To Fill Massive Void

Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer recently made the bold prediction that the San Diego Padres would swing a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Guardians to acquire outfielder Steven Kwan ahead of the trade deadline.

“Shifting back now to prospective buyers, it sure seems like the San Diego Padres want to turn their left field question mark into an exclamation point,” Rymer wrote. “They’ve reportedly been thirsting after Jarren Duran, with Dennis Lin of The Athletic writing that the Padres are ‘enamored’ with the 2024 All-Star Game MVP. But as long as the Boston Red Sox are contending, it’s hard to see how they and the Friars are supposed to match up on a deal. So instead, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Padres pivoted to Steven Kwan.

“The 27-year-old is the best defensive left fielder in the game, as well as the best pure hitter this side of Luis Arraez. If the two of them were to team up in San Diego, the Padres would have MLB’s two best contact merchants atop their lineup.”

The Padres desperately need outfield help. While they’ve been closely linked to Boston Red Sox star Jarren Duran, that deal doesn’t seem too likely at this point.

Kwan is arguably the best outfielder on the market if the Guardians shop him. Not only would he add an elite contact bat at the top of the lineup ahead of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill, but he would add an elite glove beside two other elite outfield defenders. San Diego’s outfield would practically be turned into a no-fly zone.

But this idea largely centers around how willing the Guardians are to move Kwan when he still has two years of arbitration on his contract.

If the Guardians are open to the idea, the Padres are seemingly the best fit to add the star.

More MLB: Astros Landing $8 Million Slugger Would Boost Lineup Ahead Of Trade Deadline