The New York Yankees will be searching for answers this offseason, and none of us really know where the solutions will come from. Last year, we all knew the goal: re-sign Juan Soto, or pivot. This time around, things are a bit more ambiguous.

One thing we can probably all agree upon is that retaining Cody Bellinger would probably be a good idea after his terrific 2025 campaign. Trent Grisham? Probably less so, as there is serious doubt that he can replicate his 34-homer season in 2026 and beyond.

There is also a scenario in which the Yankees could lose both Bellinger and Grisham in free agency, but for now, let's pretend that New York is a shoo-in to keep the former (it isn't, but just for the sake of argument).

That would leave the Yanks with an outfield of Bellinger, Aaron Judge and then a mystery third guy. Would it be Jasson Dominguez, who started much of this past season before being relegated to a bench role down the stretch? Will Spencer Jones finally break into the big leagues?

Or will the Yankees explore external options?

One name that has surfaced a couple of times in early speculation is Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, who has made back-to-back All-Star teams and is well on his way to winning his fourth straight Gold Glove.

Kwan seems to fit the ball for the Bronx Bombers, too: a pesky contact hitter who only struck out 60 times this past year while also stealing 21 bases. But is Kwan really as good as advertised?

The 28-year-old slashed a middling .272/.330/.374 with 11 home runs and 56 RBI over 693 plate appearances, and for the second consecutive season, he faded during the second half.

It's not that Kwan isn't a solid player. He is. His defense alone makes him inherently valuable. But for as much of a "contact guy" as he is, he has never batted .300, and his lack of pop is worrisome.

But that isn't even the most concerning part of potentially adding Kwan. It's the asking price.

The Guardians are known for being tough negotiators. Back at the trade deadline, there were rumors that Kwan could be on the move, but Cleveland held a very firm had in trade talks.

Kwan is under team control through 2027, so the Guardians do not have to be in any sort of rush to move him now. Even if they don't plan on extending him, they can still keep him at least through next year's trade deadline to see what they want to do.

The Yankees should not expect to pry Kwan away from Cleveland without suffering a great loss. The Guardians might even ask for one of Dominguez or Jones in the deal. The Yanks are also loaded with pitching prospects, and given Cleveland's affinity for arms, you know very well Guardians president Chris Antonetti would be asking about Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz.

For a player who posted a .705 OPS in 2025 and owns a lifetime .281/.351/.390 slash line, that would be a steep price to pay.

Yes, stylistically speaking, Kwan would fit perfectly in New York's lineup. He is a prototypical leadoff hitter who could serve as a great table-setter for the Yankees' power bats. But he isn't a superstar and would not be worth what the Guardians would likely demand in a return.

Kwan is an enticing option for sure, and it would not be the least bit surprising to see New York check in on him. But the chances of it happening seem very slim.