Guardians secure victory as Kwan defies broadcaster’s power assessment
Cleveland outfielder’s blast to right field comes as Chicago White Sox broadcaster Steve Stone suggests the player is “trying to act like one,” moments before the ball clears the fence at Rate Field.
Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan hit a home run in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox on Friday, 7 August 2026, at Rate Field. The hit occurred immediately after White Sox broadcaster Steve Stone stated that Kwan was "not a power hitter" and was "trying to act like one." The Guardians won the game 8-2.
Stone made the comments during the sixth inning while discussing Kwan’s approach at the plate. Moments after Stone’s statement, Kwan hit a home run to right field. Stone did not verbally acknowledge the irony of the situation following the home run. After a quiet moment in the booth, Stone noted that the home run was Kwan’s second of the season.
Kwan, who made his major league debut in 2022, has reached double figures in home runs only twice in his career, in 2024 and 2025. However, he entered the game on exceptional form, leading Major League Baseball with a .398 batting average over the preceding month since 1 July 2026. His recent performance raised his season batting average from .212 to .260.
In July 2026, Kwan hit .403 with a .484 on-base percentage, collecting 31 hits. Entering Friday’s game, Kwan was 6-for-16 in August. The surge comes during a seven-game road trip for the Guardians, which includes games against division rivals the White Sox and Detroit Tigers.
The incident was highlighted by Jomboy Media on 8 August 2026, which posted a tweet quoting Stone’s comment. The article originally appeared on the Akron Beacon Journal.
