Could the Guardians get better by trading Emmanuel Clase?

The Cleveland Guardians are currently hovering right around the .500 mark and have managed to stay within striking distance of a Wild Card spot despite their offense being among the worst in all of baseball.

While there may be some offensive reinforcements in Columbus, it is unfair to expect a rookie or two to change the direction of the offense. So, the Guardians should consider doing what they do best — deal from a position of strength to supplement a position of need.

Enter All-Star Emmanuel Clase and his team-friendly contract.

Could the Guardians get better by trading Emmanuel Clase?

In 2024, Clase put together one of the most dominant seasons by a reliever when he finished the year with a 0.61 ERA in 74 1/3 innings along with an MLB-leading 47 saves.

He wasn't able to carry that success into the postseason, however (9.00 ERA in nine innings) before limping out of the gate this season. It got so bad that his ERA ballooned to 7.84 after he surrendered three runs in the ninth inning against the lowly Pirates on April 20.

While his underlying numbers forecasted some better fortune, it was easy to wonder if Clase had lost his magic from a year ago. But, if we look at his numbers since that blow up, it tells the story of a pitcher that has found his rhythm and continues to be one of the most sure-fire closers in baseball.

Since April 20, Clase has pitched in 25 1/3 innings and has a 1.42 ERA (12th among relief pitchers in that time frame), 1.86 FIP (ninth), a 29:7 K/BB ratio and 14 saves (tied for fourth).

Those numbers are great on the surface and are another reminder of the guy that won AL Reliever of the Year in 2024. So, if Clase's finally found it, why trade him now?

Simply put, the Guardians are desperate for help on offense, and back-end relievers are always a hot commodity at the trade deadline.

Not only does Cleveland have closers-in-waiting in Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis, but Clase is owed just $26.4 million on the remaining three years of his contract.

All of that creates a perfect storm: A dominant player in a high demand position with a team-friendly contact at a position of strength. We’ve seen it numerous times, especially when it comes to pitching. Cleveland will develop an arm into a young stud, sign him to a team-friendly contact, and then bask in the spoils of their work when they trade him to fill other positions of need on a contending team.

It's also worth noting that Clase's name has already been floated in trade rumors this year, so the Guardians front office is at least kicking the tires on a potential deal.

Trading Clase would be a risky move for Cleveland to make, especially when you consider the clubhouse implications of trading away one of your top players during a playoff chase (remember the Aaron Civale trade?) But even with that risk, trading Clase for some controllable bats may be just what the Guardians need to get a spark in their offense and pave a path for sustained success for years to come.