Guardians Avoid Arbitration with Lane Thomas

They settled on figures with their centerfielder

The Guardians secured the services of their center fielder for 2025 today, settling on figures to avoid arbitration with Lane Thomas.

Thomas will get $7.825 million for his last year before free agency:

No terms have been announced for Steven Kwan an hour later, so the Guardians may be headed to arbitration hearings with their left fielder.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Thomas to make $8.3 million and Kwan to make $4.3 million.

Thomas seems set to be the Guardians’ centerfielder for 2025, where he has 1 Defensive Run Saved and 0 Outs Above Average in 1200 innings there. He has a 103 wRC+ for his career and Steamer projects him for 105 wRC+ in 2025. He had a 137 wRC+ in September for the Guardians and a 99 wRC+ in the playoffs, including the memorable grand slam off of Tarik Skubal in game five of the ALDS.

He’s a lefty masher with a 140 wRC+ for his career against southpaws (87 wRC+ vs RHP).

Kwan was the starting left fielder in the All-Star game for the AL in 2024 and won his second gold glove while putting up a 131 wRC+ and following it up with a 158 wRC+ in the playoffs. Not sure if any extension with Kwan is imminent but he’s under team control through 2027 and I fully plan to enjoy his time here as much as I can, and I think they should just pay him what he wants for 2025. Seems cheap if they haven’t figured this out.

He’s the pre-eminent leadoff hitter in baseball.

The Guardians do all they can to avoid having to go to arbitration hearings with their players if those players are not Trevor Bauer and I appreciate that. Still hoping the Kwan news leaks out soon, but if not, I hope the arbitration hearings are as nice and cordial as possible.