Why Opening Day could finally answer the biggest question facing Guardians 

On April 7, 2022, Steven Kwan made his MLB debut in the Guardians’ Opening Day matchup against the Kansas City Royals, where he hit ninth in the lineup and played right field. 

In the nearly four years since, Kwan’s been a mainstay in the Guardians lineup while also turning into a full-time left fielder. But this year’s Opening Day could mark a shift away from that position. 

Over the weekend manager Stephen Vogt confirmed to reporters that Kwan will see some time in center field this year after playing there a majority of the time during spring training. 

And the first instance of that could come on Opening Day tomorrow against the Mariners, which would serve as the first tangible example of how different things could look in the Guardians’ outfield in 2026. 

Steven Kwan’s move to center could help unlock Guardians’ lineup 

Kwan’s move to center field is one that was born a bit out of necessity given the options Vogt has to work with in the outfield. While Chase DeLauter and Geroge Valera are two great offense-first options who will provide the Guardians with some much-needed power in their outfield. 

But both of them are better suited for corner outfield spots, which made moving Kwan to center field a bit of a no-brainer. 

Other than Kwan, the top center field option on the Guardians’ current roster is Angel Martínez, who is an infielder by trade and coming off a season where he posted some horrific defensive numbers in center field. 

Nolan Jones also would have fit into the center field picture, but the Guardians removed him from their picture when they outrighted him off their roster. 

Stuart Fairchild also fit into the center field picture, but he was in camp as a non-roster invitee, so the Guardians would need to make some kind of corresponding move to add him to their roster. 

That said, Fairchild would likely serve as a fourth outfielder if he made the roster as opposed to an everyday option. 

The Guardians are also opening the starter against a right-handed pitcher in Logan Gilbert, which could also contribute to Kwan being in center field when the season opens. 

Cleveland loved having a platoon advantage last season, and moving Kwan to center could allow for them to have an all left-handed hitting outfield (DeLauter, Kwan and CJ Kayfus) along with having Kyle Manzardo play at first and Rhys Hoskins serve as designated hitter. 

That picture will get even tighter when George Valera returns from the injured list since he’s better suited for a corner outfield spot. Once Valera’s back, there will be plenty of games where the Guardians have an outfield consisting of Valera in left, Kwan in center and DeLauter in right.

And even if Kwan starts the season in left field on Opening Day, it’ll only be a matter of time until he makes the shift over to center field. 

But, regardless of where he plays, Kwan is set to be one of the most important players on the Guardians’ roster in 2026.