Guardians activate Steven Kwan, option Myles Straw to Triple-A

There may be only a few games remaining in the regular season for the Cleveland Guardians, but it appears they want to have one of their most important players on their roster get some in-game action before the playoffs begin.

The Cleveland Guardians have activated outfielder Steven Kwan from the injured list ahead of Wednesday's matchup with the Cincinnati Reds. Kwan landed on the IL nearly two weeks ago with a back issue that forced him to miss some time. Needing to make space for Kwan on the active roster, the Guardians have optioned Myles Straw to Triple-A Columbus.

This was very much an obvious roster move. When evaluating the roster composition of the Guardians for the final few games and possibly the postseason, an organization must determine who and who is not essential, with those determinations being pretty cut and dry.

Obviously, as their starting left fielder and leadoff hitter, Kwan is essential, but when it comes to Straw, he clearly is not. There is a reason that Straw spent the majority of the 2024 MLB season in Triple-A while the team has trotted out countless others in the outfield with mixed results. It was only until Cleveland's hand was forced and needed to bring Straw onto the active roster that he made his first big league appearance since last 2023. The fact it took this long and a certain set of circumstances for him to be considered speaks volumes about how he is viewed within the organization. Straw may have been viewed favorably once upon a time, but that is now gone, and rightfully so.

Everyone should be feeling a lot better about the Guardians and their chances in the postseason with Kwan officially being back. There was some concern about Kwan's health considering the late-season back injury, but being activated with a few games remaining in the season and not having a wait-and-see approach is an encouraging development. And as far as Straw is concerned, he should never see make another major league appearance in a Guardians uniform.