Amid the Cleveland Guardians' mediocre start to the year, there are plenty of changes that could be on the horizon. Whether the team decides to buy or sell at the MLB trade deadline, there are already plenty of rumors and predictions for what the Guardians will do.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report predicted that the Guardians, with their lackluster record, would trade away and cut ties with their longtime closer Emmanuel Clase. After he spent the first six years of his MLB career with the team, the Guardians could be looking to move the closer at the trade deadline.
"For example," Rymer wrote. "Whispers of a potential Emmanuel Clase trade have already begun."
That decision, to move on from Clase and change things up drastically in the bullpen, would be a massive indicator that the team is selling this season. With a tough hill to climb to get back into the postseason picture, as the Guardians are 9.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers, the Guardians' selling isn't out of the question.
If they do decide to sell, Clase would be one of their top options, as teams around baseball would be willing to part with assets to land a closer with a pedigree as good as Clase's. In 2024, Clase was remarkable. He finished with a 0.61 ERA and 47 saves to go with 66 strikeouts in 74.1 innings pitched.
He was an All-Star and even placed third in the AL Cy Young race, something very seldom seen from relievers. That kind of season is the exact kind of thing teams looking for a reliever in the trade market would be willing to pay top dollar on, even if his 2025 hasn't gone as well.
In 2025, Clase has struggled a bit, with a 3.94 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 29.2 innings pitched. He's still a very solid reliever, but he's not been the same as he was in 2024. But, even though he's struggled, teams around baseball would flock to the Guardians and give them a great offer for Clase.
Players of his caliber rarely become available, especially ones at his age, 27, and with his control, under contract through the 2026 season with club options of $10 million in 2027 and 2028.
If this prediction holds, and the Guardians do sell Clase, they would have plenty of suitors lining up at their door willing to offer a solid return. The return package for Clase will only get worse, so shipping him off for a king's ransom while they still can might be the move the Guardians take at the MLB trade deadline.