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Cubs Trade Idea Lands Guardians' All-Star Closer Emmanuel Clase
Cubs Trade Idea Lands Guardians' All-Star Closer Emmanuel Clase originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Chicago Cubs have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, sitting atop the National League Central with a 45-28 record. They own the sixth-best offense in baseball, according to FanGraphs, and have proven they can overcome serious hurdles — including injuries to their top two starters — while fielding one of the most balanced rosters in the majors.
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That success sets them up perfectly to add at the trade deadline, and according to Yahoo! Sports' Russell Dorsey, Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase could be an intriguing target.
Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Blaze-Imagn Images
'Last season, there wasn't a better reliever in baseball than Emmanuel Clase,' Dorsey wrote. 'He was so good that he finished third in AL Cy Young voting, a sign of his sheer dominance during the regular season.' But after shining in 2024, Clase ran into struggles during the postseason, which carried into the early part of 2025.
The three-time All-Star is 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 32 appearances this season — a solid stat line, though not quite his usual elite level. Dorsey noted that Clase had some rough spots in April but is trending in the right direction.
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'That said, Clase appears to be putting his struggles behind him,' Dorsey added. 'Over his past 15 outings, he has a 1.88 ERA with seven saves and has looked more like the two-time AL Reliever of the Year. If Clase's struggles are indeed in the past, this could be the perfect time for a contender to woo the Guardians into trading their longtime closer.'
A proven bullpen ace like Clase would give Chicago an even more dangerous bullpen and add postseason experience to a team with serious title ambitions. With the Cubs primed to make a deep run in October, landing a difference-maker at the back end could make all the difference.
Related: Major League Baseball Announces Historic Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong News
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
