Steven Kwan's clutch 9th-inning single tied the 2025 All-Star Game, but the AL fell 7-6. Can his heroics spark a second-half run for the 46-49 Guardians?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
In the top of the ninth, with two outs and the American League's hopes fading, Cleveland's own Steven Kwan stepped to the plate and did what he does best: he delivered. His dramatic infield single tied the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, sending it to a wild home run swing-off and giving Guardians fans a jolt of pure excitement. It was a perfect snapshot of the fight this team can have. The question now, as the All-Star break concludes, is whether that single spark can ignite a fire under a team that desperately needs one.
At 46-49, the Guardians trail the first-place Tigers by 12 games and sit four-and-a-half games out of the final Wild Card spot.
The All-Star Game is about moments, and Steven Kwan provided the biggest one of the night. With the AL trailing 6-5, Kwan slapped a ball just out of the shortstop's reach for an infield single, tying the game and capping a furious rally from a 6-0 deficit. While the AL ultimately fell 7-6 in the first-ever home run swing-off, Kwan's performance was a massive highlight. It was a reminder on the national stage of the gritty, contact-first approach that makes him so valuable and a welcome sight for fans starved for a big win.
Kwan's heroics stand in stark contrast to the team's first-half performance. As analyst Terry Pluto pointed out, the numbers tell a grim story. The Guardians enter the second half with a 46-49 record, a full 12 games behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers. The bullpen, once a league-best unit, has fallen to 10th. The offense ranks a lowly 26th in runs scored. Perhaps most shockingly, the team's typically stellar defense ranks 28th in fielding percentage. It's a formula that has them four-and-a-half games out of the final Wild Card spot and looking up at a steep hill.
Just as the second half is set to begin, a ray of hope has appeared on the horizon. Ace Shane Bieber has officially begun a rehab assignment with the ACL Guardians in Arizona. While it's just the first step, his potential return is exactly the kind of reinforcement the pitching staff needs. A healthy Bieber could stabilize the rotation, take pressure off the struggling bullpen, and provide the veteran leadership needed to turn things around. His progress will be the most-watched storyline as the Guardians begin their second-half push.
The All-Star break offers a moment to reset. Steven Kwan showed the world the kind of clutch DNA that exists on this roster. Shane Bieber's impending return offers a tangible boost. But the challenges are real and the deficit is large. The Guardians have shown they can fight back in a single game; now they have 67 games left to prove they can fight their way back into a season.
