The Cleveland Guardians are showing signs of life.
Then again, that might not be enough to get the team back to playoff contention.
That’s why the front office might feel inclined to move on from some of their veterans as opposed to holding out hope of making a deep postseason run.
With that in mind, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report put together quite a compelling trade offer that would send star closer Emmanuel Clase to the Philadelphia Phillies:
“Realistically, the Phillies’ bullpen is probably three relievers away from being a World Series-caliber unit. But if president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was able to acquire a bullpen anchor, you’d feel better about their chances to close out games that their elite starting rotation puts them in position to win. Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians would fit that bill about as well as anyone. Shortstop Aidan Miller—currently MLB Pipeline’s No. 22 prospect in baseball—could headline this trade. If the Guardians got a package that included Miller, RHP Mick Abel and pitching prospect Jean Cabrera, that would be a fair deal for both sides,” Kelly wrote.
This trade would make sense for both parties.
The Phillies have struggled to close out games all year long, and while giving up valuable young players is always a big blow, their World Series window might not stay open for much longer.
It’s time to swing for the fences, and they have an uber-aggressive front office that won’t hesitate to pull the trigger and do what needs to be done.
The Guardians, on the other hand, could be moving on from Clase before he falls from grace, all while landing promising youngsters in return.
Clase has looked much more mortal this season.
Of course, he’s still considered to be one of the best closers in the game, but he hasn’t been the same lights-out hurler he was for most of his career.
The Guardians could technically still put together a playoff run, but we saw Clase struggle mightily in the ALCS last postseason, so perhaps it would be better to make the most of his value while it’s still high.
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