The Chicago Cubs enter the offseason with clear questions in the outfield after Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ both reach free agency.

Chicago’s front office faces the possibility of replacing one or both corner options while trying to keep a competitive core intact, and that reality has placed Steven Kwan on the radar as a potential external solution.

Kwan’s profile—high on-base skills, elite defense, and a reasonable arbitration salary for one final year of control—aligns with a club that values contact and run prevention even if power is limited.

Robert Murray of FanSided has identified the Cubs as one of the logical landing spots should the Guardians make the outfielder available following their ALCS exit.

Murray noted that Kwan is drawing attention across the league as he enters the last year of his contract, with Chicago among the clubs that make sense given their impending free-agent losses.

The connection runs deeper than simple need.

General manager Carter Hawkins spent more than a decade in Cleveland’s organization before arriving in Chicago, giving him established relationships that could smooth negotiations and provide clearer insight into what Kwan contributes beyond the numbers.

That institutional knowledge matters when evaluating a player who has posted consistent .280 averages and Gold Glove-level defense while remaining under team control for only one more season.

From the Cubs’ perspective, acquiring Kwan would offer a bridge at the top of the lineup while the organization decides how aggressively to pursue long-term outfield answers.

His ability to get on base and cover ground in left field would complement existing pieces such as Pete Crow-Armstrong, and his projected salary in the low eight figures remains affordable relative to what a comparable free agent might command.

At the same time, any deal would require parting with prospects or controllable talent, a calculation that must weigh one year of production against the cost of re-signing Happ or Suzuki.

The Guardians’ history of moving players before they reach free agency keeps the possibility open, and Hawkins’ prior ties only strengthen the case that Chicago will at least explore the market if Cleveland listens.

For a club balancing rotation turnover with offensive continuity, Kwan represents a targeted, short-term upgrade rather than a complete outfield overhaul.

We’ll see if the Cubs try and make a play for the four-time Gold Glover.