The Philadelphia Phillies are one of the few teams in Major League Baseball with true World Series aspirations. With MLB’s trade deadline just a few weeks away, their biggest need remains the back end of the bullpen. Philadelphia has Cy Young contender Zack Wheeler at the top of the rotation, and strong depth to go along with Wheeler.
The reliever market is hot this season, with multiple high-leverage arms expected to be made available at the right price. For the Phillies, they will likely be all-in at this deadline to help improve their biggest flaw in preparation for a deep postseason run. The Cleveland Guardians are five games below .500, and may be headed towards selling off one of their best players.
Guardians Move off of Emmanuel Clase in Massive Trade Proposal
In a recent trade piece by Bleacher Report, writer Tim Kelly predicts that the Cleveland Guardians will ship off top reliever Emmanuel Clase to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for a couple of players and prospects. Clase is certainly the top reliever on the market if made available. He’s made three All-Star appearances from 2022-2024, and having another strong season after a fairly slow start.
Here is Kelly’s case for Clase being traded:
“Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians would fit that bill about as well as anyone. He won the Mariano Rivera Award as the best reliever in the AL last season, and after a slow start to 2025, he’s got a 1.33 ERA over his 27 innings of work. What makes the 27-year-old even more attractive for a team like the Phillies is that he’s signed to a team-friendly contract. He’s making $4.9 million in 2025, will make $6.4 million in 2026 and then has $10 million club options for 2027 and 2028. So, he would be a long-term addition to the bullpen.”
Clase has a 3.12 ERA this season over 40.1 IP. He also has 19 saves and 40 strikeouts. So, despite the “slow start”, Clase is still putting together a season that any contender would gush over.
What Would a Blockbuster Deal Like This Cost Philadelphia?
The Philadelphia Phillies have been adamant that they don’t want to give up their No.1 prospect, Andrew Painter, but a deal like this for a player with the resume of Clase will likely cost a lot. A good trade package would include Brandon Marsh, pitcher Mick Abel, and outfield prospect Justin Crawford. A three-player deal is increasingly rarer in today’s game, but again, Clase would be the hottest commodity on the reliever market and would come at a large price.
A deal of this caliber mostly hinges on what the Cleveland Guardians want to do. Would they be willing to officially enter a rebuild? It’s unclear, but they are 43-48, and their offense just does not seem to have enough capability to make a run through August and September. After a 10-game losing streak about a week ago, Cleveland may head towards shipping off what they can to get a strong return. As the deadline looms, expect the Phillies to be active buyers and certainly make improvements to their shaky bullpen.
Philadelphia Phillies Predicted to Trade for Guardians’ Three-Time All-Star