The Cleveland Guardians are gaining on the struggling Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and are within striking distance in the AL Wild Card race.
With trade season in full swing, fans are eager to know if the Guardians will be buying, selling, or staying put.
The decision is tied to how the Guardians see themselves come September and October.
For example, if they sell, people will assume they won’t compete for a spot in the postseason.
However, if they decide to acquire win-now talent, it doesn’t guarantee a spot in the playoffs.
The Guardians hold a valuable trade chip on their roster, one that could spark a bidding war among interested contenders: All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase.
Nearly every contender wants to improve its bullpen, and few relievers present such a strong bet for immediate production as Clase.
Clase is getting a $4.9 million salary in 2025, $6.4 million next year, and has club options in 2027 and 2028, each worth $10 million.
In other words, he is productive, affordable, and has years under team control.
This situation is ideal for a pitcher who, at 27 years old, is already the Guardians’ all-time leader in saves and boasts a career 1.81 ERA.
If you witnessed Clase pitch earlier this year, you wouldn’t believe he currently has a 2.74 ERA.
That’s how much he has improved.
The Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros are among the contenders looking for relief pitching and might be willing to overpay for Clase.
It’s the perfect moment for Cleveland to pounce.
Just to be clear, they should only consider trading Clase for a franchise-altering package.
If a bidding war takes place and a team decides to offer the Guardians a young, established position player, a star hitting prospect, and more, it’s something they should at least consider.
Clase is magnificent, but the bullpen can absorb the blow and, depending on the return, could even improve for this season.
Trading Clase is not something that the front office might be seriously considering, but if there is a perfect time to do it, it’s now.
NEXT: Analyst Urges Guardians To Make Big Decision On Key Player
