Guardians' Emmanuel Clase Linked to National League Contender

Could the Cleveland Guardians and Philadelphia Phillies figure out a trade centered around Emmanuel Clase?

Jun 11, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Emmanuel Clase has been the Cleveland Guardians' closer for the last four seasons, but as the team slips out of playoff contention, they could be incentivized to move him to help round out the big league roster.

One team that could be an interesting contender to land the three-time All-Star is the Philadelphia Phillies.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report believes that a deal between the Guardians and Phillies centered around Clase is a "realistic" trade leading up to the deadline.

Obviously, Philadelphia landing Clase from Cleveland would make it a World Series contender. However, the Guardians must get a lot in return for Clase, given skillset and ultra team-friendly contract.

Kelly thinks "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."

Jun 17, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Although the analyst views this as a fair deal for both sides, there are some reasons to be skeptical from Cleveland's perspective.

Miller has potential, but some flaws, too. His ground-ball rate at Double-A this season is 41.5 percent with a pull rate of 47 percent. This could create some cause for concern about how his swing will translate to the big leagues.

Plus, Mick Abel has struggled in a small MLB sample size, and Jean Cabrera doesn't have overwhelming stats at Double-A either.

If the Guardians are going to trade Clase, it should be for a proven big league player or a more solidified prospect.

Perhaps one, or all three, of these prospects turn out to be stars, but for the sake of the trade package for Clase right now, the Guardians should ask for more.

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