Guardians' Steven Kwan: Two hits including triple in win
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored in Wednesday's win against the Tigers.
Kwan ripped a leadoff triple to open the game in the top of the first inning, later coming around to score on a Jose Ramirez single. The rookie also added a single in the second frame and the multi-hit effort was his second in three games and eighth over 19 games since the All-Star break. Kwan has now secured at least one hit in 21 out of his last 22 games, batting .355 with nine extra-base hits, 19 runs, five RBI and four stolen bases over that stretch.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Rejoins starting nine
Rotowire
Kwan (foot) will start in left field and bat leadoff in Sunday's game against the Astros.
Kwan was withheld from Saturday's 4-1 win after fouling a ball off his foot a night earlier, but his return to the lineup a day later implies that his one-game absence was likely precautionary. Since the beginning of July, the rookie has settled back into a groove at the plate, producing a .312 average and .354 on-base percentage while scoring 19 runs and adding four steals over a stretch of 33 games.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Out of lineup Saturday
Rotowire
Kwan (foot) is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Astros.
Kwan fouled a pitch off his left foot and exited Friday's game, and while the Guardians said his removal was precautionary, it would seem there is some lingering soreness. Andres Gimenez will move up to the leadoff spot against right-hander Luis Garcia as Will Benson takes over for Kwan in left field.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Hitting streak ends with early exit
Rotowire
Kwan left Friday's game against the Astros with a left foot contusion, Joe Noga of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
He fouled a pitch off his foot and was removed as a precaution. The timing of this injury is unfortunate, as it ends Kwan's 18-game hitting streak. He went 0-for-2 before exiting. Kwan hit .350 with one home run, six doubles and four steals during that hitting streak.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Hit streak at 15 games
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with two walks, a run scored and a stolen base in Monday's 6-5 extra-innings win over the Diamondbacks.
The rookie extended his hitting streak to 15 games with another dynamic performance from the top of the order. Kwan is batting .362 (25-for-69) during his hit streak, pushing his slash line on the season to .297/.370/.381 with two homers, nine steals, 28 RBI and 49 runs through 90 contests.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Steals base, scores twice
Rotowire
Kwan went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and two runs scored in Friday's 4-1 win over the Rays.
Kwan continues to be locked in at the plate -- he's posted three hits in four of the 12 games during his current hitting streak. In that span, he's batting .382 (21-for-55). The outfielder's found a home atop the Guardians' lineup, and he's maintained a .298/.369/.382 slash line with two home runs, eight stolen bases, 28 RBI and 48 runs scored in 87 contests overall. Kwan's also maintained impressive contact skills with a tiny 8.3 percent strikeout rate in his first big-league campaign.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Knocks solo homer
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the White Sox.
Kwan ripped a solo shot off of Liam Hendriks in the ninth inning; it was his second of the season and his first since May 7, snapping a 62-game homerless drought. In 21 games this month, Kwan has gone 27-for-87 (.310) with seven extra-base hits. The rookie outfielder now owns a .292/.369/.380 slash line through 337 plate appearances.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Three hits, two RBI in Game 1 win
Rotowire
Kwan went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI in the Guardians' Game 1 victory over the White Sox in Saturday's doubleheader.
Kwan opened the game with a leadoff single before ripping an RBI double in the top of the fifth inning and coming around to score later in the frame. He also added another RBI and run scored in the ninth frame. Kwan is now 6-for-10 with a double, four runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base over the first two contests of the second half. The outfielder's batting average is now up to .290 on the campaign.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Three more hits Friday
Rotowire
Kwan went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base in Friday's 8-2 win over the White Sox.
The 24-year-old rookie remains arguably the most unusual hitter in the majors. He's batting .313 (21-for-67) over his last 16 games and .316 since the beginning of June as he proves his all-contact approach can work at the highest level, and Kwan's six steals in 79 games on the season give him a smidge of fantasy value outside of his batting average. His Statcast numbers can induce whiplash, however. Kwan ranks in the 100th percentile in strikeout rate and whiff rate -- in other words, there is literally no one better in baseball at getting their bat on the ball -- but in the fifth percentile or lower in hard-hit rate, barrel rate and average exit velocity.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Four hits across doubleheader
Rotowire
Kwan went 4-for-8 with a walk and a run scored across both games of Tuesday's doubleheader versus the White Sox.
He went 2-for-4 in both contests, giving the outfielder six multi-hit efforts through 13 games in July. Kwan is slashing .288/.339/.346 this month while adding four RBI, three runs scored and three doubles. That's in line with his .285/.368/.362 slash line for the season, and his contact-focused approach has made him a reliable option as the Guardians' leadoff hitter.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Two doubles in three-hit game
Rotowire
Kwan went 3-for-6 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 13-1 rout of the Royals.
Kwan has four multi-hit efforts in his last 11 games, though he's also posted five 0-fers in that stretch. The rookie outfielder has maintained a solid .279/.363/.361 slash line with one home run, 23 RBI, 34 runs scored, five stolen bases, 11 doubles and three triples in 70 contests. There's not much power in his bat, but his steady eye (30:23 BB:K) has earned him a regular place atop the Guardians' lineup.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Reaches base three times
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double and an RBI on Wednesday against the Tigers.
Kwan doubled in a run in the fifth inning to record his 21st RBI of the season. He's been cold at the plate of late, hitting just .205 with four RBI and four runs scored across his last 11 games. Overall, Kwan has maintained a decent .274/.362/.350 line across 271 plate appearances, though he has only one home run and five stolen bases for the season.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Not starting nightcap
Rotowire
Kwan isn't starting the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
Kwan led off in the first game of the twin bill and went 0-for-5 with an RBI and two strikeouts. He's now hitless in his last eight at-bats and will retreat to the bench while Ernie Clement starts in left field and Franmil Reyes gets the start in right field.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Scores thrice Wednesday
Rotowire
Kwan went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and three runs scored in Wednesday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Twins.
Kwan went 0-for-6 with two walks in Tuesday's doubleheader, but he was able to get back to productive hitting Wednesday. The rookie outfielder has four multi-hit efforts in his last nine games, going 13-for-33 (.394) in that span. For the season, he's slashing .288/.374/.371 with one home run, 18 RBI, 32 runs scored and five steals in 60 contests. He should continue to regularly bat leadoff versus right-handed pitchers, and he could start to get more looks against southpaws if his bat stays hot.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Sitting against lefty
Rotowire
Kwan isn't starting Thursday's series finale against the Twins.
Kwan has been red hot recently, going 7-for-13 with a triple, an RBI and three runs over his last three contests, but he will take a seat Thursday as the Guardians face Minnesota left-hander Drew Smeltzer. Franmil Reyes will get the start in left field and bat fifth in the series finale.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Four-hit night
Rotowire
Kwan went 4-for-6 with a run scored in a 6-5 win over the Twins on Tuesday.
Kwan caught the attention of fantasy managers with an offensive barrage on the season's opening weekend. After seeing his roster rate rise immediately afterwards, Kwan then cooled off considerably in May, slashing a weak .173/.271/.253 over the span of the month. He has since gotten back into a groove, and after Tuesday's four-hit game, he is now slashing .364/.400/.382 in June. He doesn't offer any appreciable power, but the Guardians like to lead him off against right-handed pitching and he has shown he can hit for average in bursts.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Sitting versus southpaw
Rotowire
Kwan is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Andre Knott of Bally Sports Ohio reports.
Kwan started the past two games despite facing a left-handed pitcher, but he'll take a seat Sunday with southpaw Andrew Heaney on the mound for Los Angeles. Oscar Mercado will start in left field and bat sixth for Cleveland.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Out of Wednesday's lineup
Rotowire
Kwan is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.
Kwan is in the midst of a five-game hit streak during which he's gone 9-for-19 with an RBI, two runs and two stolen bases, but he'll head to the bench Wednesday with southpaw Austin Gomber on the mound for Colorado. Oscar Mercado will start in left field and bat eighth.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: Posts steal in win
Rotowire
Kwan went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Rangers.
Kwan slumped late in May, but he's gone 7-for-20 (.350) over his last seven games to bounce back early in June. The outfielder has picked up two stolen bases in that stretch and is now 3-for-4 on the basepaths this season. He's added a .257/.355/.357 slash line with a home run, 15 RBI, 21 runs scored, two triples and seven doubles. Kwan should continue to start regularly against right-handed pitchers, but he's lost some playing time to Oscar Mercado and Ernie Clement against southpaws.
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Guardians' Steven Kwan: On bench for nightcap
Rotowire
Kwan is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rangers.
Kwan went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly during the matinee and will sit for Game 2 since southpaw Taylor Hearn is pitching for Texas. Oscar Mercado will take over in left field for Cleveland.
