For years, it’s been a revolving door.
Now Cleveland may be considering its boldest fix yet — and it involves moving its most reliable outfielder.
📢 TOP STORY: Cleveland’s Center Field Crossroads — Could Steven Kwan Be the Answer to a Decade-Long Problem? ⚡
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The ghosts of Grady Sizemore and Kenny Lofton still hover over Progressive Field.
For more than a decade, the Guardians have searched for stability in center field — and come up empty.
The numbers are brutal.
Over the last 10 seasons, Cleveland center fielders have combined for just 11.9 fWAR, the lowest total in Major League Baseball. During that same stretch, they rank 29th out of 30 teams with an 82 wRC+. Only Kansas City has fared worse offensively at the position.
The past five years haven’t improved the picture. Guardians center fielders have produced 5.6 fWAR in that span — again, the lowest in the league. Five teams have eclipsed 21.0 during that time.
In short: it’s been a void.
And now, Cleveland may finally be ready to rethink everything.
The Kwan Shift That Changes the Conversation
Instead of chasing another center fielder, what if the answer has been standing in left field all along?
Manager Stephen Vogt confirmed this spring that Steven Kwan will see time in center field during camp. The two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner has been elite in left — arguably one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball.
But moving him to center would represent more than a positional tweak.
It would signal strategic desperation — or strategic evolution.
“Center field’s kind of been an area where we’ve had a number of people,” Vogt admitted. “And it’s going to be no different this year.”
Translation: nothing is locked in.
A Position That Swallowed Careers
Only two Cleveland center fielders over the past decade have logged even 1,000 plate appearances: Myles Straw and Tyler Naquin.
Straw’s contract was offloaded after his performance declined sharply. Naquin is now pitching in the minors.
That’s not turnover.
That’s instability.
The Guardians have tried specialists. Speed-first defenders. Prospect promotions. None stuck.
Now they’re considering a philosophical pivot.
The Ripple Effect
If Kwan shifts to center, the outfield puzzle reshuffles immediately.
Chase DeLauter and George Valera remain central to the franchise’s future. Nolan Jones, Angel Martinez, Daniel Schneemann, and non-roster invitee Stuart Fairchild add to the mix.
Ideally, Cleveland envisions long-term stability with some combination of Kwan, DeLauter, and Valera locking down the grass.
But early in 2026, it may look far more fluid.
And Vogt seems comfortable with that.
“I think anybody would be lying if they said they wouldn’t love to have nine people to play every single day,” he said. “If you’re in the big leagues, you need to play. So we’re going to give looks to everyone.”
That flexibility could be a strength.
Or it could prolong the carousel.
Risk vs. Reward
Moving Kwan isn’t a small decision.
He’s been exceptional in left field — comfortable, instinctual, Gold Glove dominant. Center field demands more ground coverage, more communication, more responsibility.
The upside?
If he handles it seamlessly, Cleveland suddenly solves its weakest position without spending big or sacrificing prospects.
The downside?
Disrupting a proven strength to patch a historical weakness.
But the Guardians understand the math. The offensive production from center has lagged for too long. In a division where margins are thin, league-worst performance at any position is unsustainable.
A Defining Roster Call Looms
Spring Training will serve as a testing lab.
Kwan’s range. Reads. Routes. Durability.
If the experiment sticks, Opening Day could usher in a new defensive alignment — and perhaps a new chapter for Cleveland’s outfield identity.
If not, the revolving door continues.
The curse of Sizemore-era expectations may linger, but Cleveland appears ready to confront it head-on.
Because after a decade of searching, the Guardians may finally be asking the right question:
Stop looking for a center fielder.
Start redefining one.
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