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Cleveland Guardians Urged to Make Shocking Trade Deadline Move
Jun 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Guardians Urged to Make Shocking Trade Deadline Move

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild  |  Last updated Jul 3, 2025 3:30 PM ET

With the rate the Cleveland Guardians are going, they're going to end up being sellers at the deadline rather than buyers.

Even though the Guardians are falling further in the American League standings, they still have some pieces that playoff contenders would be more than interested in acquiring.

One player that any team hoping to win a World Series would likely love to add is Cleveland's star reliever Emmanuel Clase.

In fact, ESPN's David Schoenfield is urging the Guardians to move on from the closer before the trade deadline. The team the analyst wants to see trade for Clase is the Philadelphia Phillies.

Clase is obviously not putting up the same number he did last season, but as Schoenfield notes, "Clase is signed through 2028, with his salary topping out at $10 million the final two years, making him a bargain for an elite closer."

The Guardians would still have depth with their bullpen if they moved on from Clase, and trading him could help Cleveland build a better overall team.

"The Cleveland bullpen hasn't been as dominant as last season but it's still deep, and Cade Smith has been their best reliever, so he's ready to take over as the closer. Given the potential return for Clase -- and hedging against the possibility that he could be on the decline -- this might be the best chance for the Guardians to get a big haul for him," continued Schoenfield.

While the Guardians are quickly falling out of playoff contention, Cleveland's move to part ways with Clase before July 31 would still feel somewhat shocking to the front office.

As Schoenfield points out, Clase is under team control for the next few seasons, and with his ERA at 3.28 and his WHIP sitting at 1.43, Cleveland would be giving him up when his value is at its lowest.

Unless the front office is blown away with an offer, the best option would be to hope Clase can put up a dominant second half and wait until the offseason when his trade value is higher.

Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage


This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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