Former GM: Dodgers could trade for Guardians All-Star

Since being traded from the Texas Rangers in December 2019 in a deal that saw two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber head west, Emmanuel Clase has been electric with the Guardians.

The 25-year-old pitched 21 games with Texas in 2019 but was suspended for the entire pandemic-shortened 2020 season following a positive PED test. Clase finished fifth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2021 after going 4-5 with 24 saves and a career-low 1.29 ERA, as well as a 0.96 WHIP and 74 strikeouts across 69 2/3 innings pitched.

He signed a five-year, $20 million contract with Cleveland right before the 2022 campaign and then had arguably his best season, earning his first All-Star honor and leading the league in games pitched (77), games finished (67) and saves (42). Clase also posted a 1.36 ERA and career-low 0.79 WHIP with 77 strikeouts over 72 2/3 innings pitched.

The native of the Dominican Republic went 3-9 in 2023 and saw his ERA (3.22) and WHIP (1.15) increase significantly, but he still led MLB in games finished (65) and saves (44) for the second consecutive campaign.

The Dodgers have already had a monster offseason, particularly in December. In the last two weeks alone, they've signed AL MVP Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal; traded for top-of-the-rotation arm Tyler Glasnow; and it was reported on Thursday night that they reached an agreement on a 12-year, $325 million contract with Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Add in a stacked lineup featuring perennial MVP candidates like Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts and Los Angeles could trot out one of the best rosters in MLB history next spring.