The Cleveland Guardians are one of the more interesting trade deadline teams to watch. With less than 48 hours until the trade deadline, the Guardians are in a much different spot than they were just 72 hours ago.
With the Guardians losing Emmanuel Clase to the non-disciplinary list amid MLB's investigation, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Guardians are more open to a Steven Kwan trade than ever before.
Not only are they open to a deal, but the Guardians are receiving "aggressive" trade offers from the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies in a deal for All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan.
"The chance of Guardians moving Kwan is higher than teams believed a week ago." Passan writes. "The Phillies and Mets are being very aggressive."
If the Guardians part ways with Kwan at the deadline, it's likely to be for a huge haul. They won't trade Kwan, who's under team control through 2027, for a small return.
With both the Phillies and Mets, among others, vying for Kwan, the price for the three-time Gold Glove left fielder is likely very high and increasing amid a bidding war.
MORE: Guardians predicted to trade former Cy Young starter to Cubs
Rarely does a player of Kwan's caliber become available at the deadline. He's 27 years old, has elite defense, and is a solid batter. This season, Kwan is hitting .286 with a .761 OPS and a 110 OPS+.
The left-handed hitting Kwan is one of the most sought-after targets at the deadline, with the top teams in the NL East vying for him. Both are being aggressive in their pursuit of Kwan, which should raise his price tag.
As Passan mentions, a trade involving Kwan is much more likely now than it's been this season. With Clase being played on leave, the Guardians might view now as the time to sell, and Kwan could be on the move for a huge return.
Moving on from Kwan would net a very strong return, which could help the Guardians in the future, even if it hurts now. The two-time All-Star is being aggressively pursued by the Mets and Phillies, and is more likely to be moved now than he's been all season.
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