The Cubs are one of the clubs “most actively monitoring” Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com. Clase has been recently connected to clubs such as the Dodgers and Phillies in recent weeks. The Cubs were also connected to Clase ahead of the 2024 season.
It’s not a surprise that the Cubs or any other club would be interested in Clase, who has been one of the best closers in the sport for a few years now. From 2021 to the present, he has 180 saves for Cleveland, the most of anyone in the majors for that span. He has a 1.77 earned run average in that time. His 24.9% strikeout rate is only a bit above average, unusual for a closer. However, his 4.7% walk rate and 58.4% ground ball rate are both strong figures.
In addition to the results, his contract is very favorable. He has a $4.5MM salary this year and will make $6MM next year. He then has a pair of $13MM options with $2MM buyouts. In free agency, top closers like Edwin Díaz and Josh Hader have been able to secure average annual values around $20MM. Clase’s deal therefore has heaps of surplus value.
However, that also makes him very valuable to a low-payroll club like the Guardians. They are reportedly willing to listen to offers but that doesn’t mean they’re pushing him out the door. A recent four-game winning streak has pulled them to 51-50 and just 2.5 games back of a playoff spot. Their pre-deadline schedule is on the softer side. They’re playing the Orioles today, followed three games in Kansas City and three games in Cleveland against the Rockies.
Perhaps the Guardians can pull themselves out of seller position and into buyer mode, which may or may not impact Clase’s availability. It’s possible to imagine them doing some selling but holding Clase or trading him while still hoping to compete. The Guardians are often willing to walk a buy/sell tightrope, balancing their current and future needs. The decision is presumably dependent on what kinds of offers they receive. They have other strong relievers, including Cade Smith, so it’s possible they view a Clase trade as something that could upgrade another part of the roster without significantly hurting the bullpen. Then again, there is no rush to flip him if they’re not bowled over by an offer.
For the Cubs, it’s easy to see the appeal. They are one of the best teams in baseball and clearly in buyer mode this year. Elite relievers take on outsized importance in the playoffs, where off-days make it possible for them to impact almost every game.
The club’s relief corps has a collective 3.78 ERA, which puts them 10th in the majors. Daniel Palencia is doing a good job as the closer but adding Clase and moving everyone else down a peg on the depth chart would make the whole group stronger.
Pulling off a trade of Clase would require the club to part with some notable pieces to make it worth Cleveland’s while, though perhaps the Cubs are willing to do so. They already showed an all-in mentality in the Kyle Tucker trade this offseason and could perhaps keep the foot on the gas pedal. The Cubs have some notable outfield prospects, including Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara, which is an area of ongoing concern in Cleveland. It’s unclear if the Cubs would be willing to include any players like that for a bullpen upgrade. They have long-term outfield questions of their own, as Tucker is an impending free agent while Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are slated for free agency after 2026.
Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images
So is pretty much every contender on the board, what’s makes the Cubs so special? Ahahahahaha!
The owner of the site is a Cubs fan.
Brewers are the best team in baseball. Any articles about them? Of course not. You think thet couldn’t find some dude on Twitter talking about potential Brewers trades?
The Brewers generally don’t leak info out so unless one of their beat writers reports on something it’d just be speculation
You think this isnt speculation?
Google Brewers trade rumors. You can find stuff just as significant as this rumor here.
Anyone who has visited this site since its inception like I have will tell you there has always been a Cubs bias. Brewers fans would definitely tell you this but you would have to find them my guess is most dont visit this site because of the bias the site shows.
@King: It’s not a bias per se. It’s that, for reasons good or bad, mostly bad but that is the reality, stories about the Cubs get more clicks. So the site is motivated to write and run more stories about the Cubs.
I am a Cubs fan who is a realist. The Cubs are not going to come near winning the division, and they probably won’t get a wild card spot. They have been lucky and their luck is running out. Their POBO is a mess with a narrow vision of team-building and a penchant for unforced errors. But–shoot me, I like to read about them.
The reason this site gets more clicks from Cubs fans than Brewers fans is the site has had a pro Cubs bias since its existence. Thats the reason.
wrong. the Cubs have always had many more fans than the Brewers. Not even close.
Sal—especially at games IN Milwaukee.
same old Black Pink
haha
Who are the Brewer beat writers outside of the 4 regular media members? Yesterday the manager was giving one the business for celebrating her birthday in the dugout in Seattle. The group seems to have little public interaction outside of open clubhouse hours.
I thought there was a Yankees bias… oh wait now a Red Sox bias, and what’s that? Now a Dodgers bias. But all along it was a Cubs bias. Who would have guessed.
100% agree Alan. The offense is unsustainable over 162 games and after Imanaga and Boyd, the SP is in trouble and starting to regress and the bullpen, other than Palencia, isn’t much better. I have zero confidence in Hoyer’s ability to re-stock the pitching and the bench, over the next 6-7 days. My biggest concern is, that in an effort to save his job, he overpays with Cassie, Shaw and Long. Tucker is gone after this season, and Suzuki and Happ are gone after ’26, so OF is already an area of long-term concern. I think they might get lucky and take 2 of 3 against the Sox this weekend, and next week, being swept by the Brewers is a distinct possibility. The Reds are the team to watch, they just might sneak past the Cubs and take the last WC slot. They have the best MGR in the Central and are playing a bit better. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am
@CubsAreMid: The way I see it, the Dodgers, Padres, Brewers, Mets and Phillies are in, so five teams–Cubs, Reds, Cardinals, Giants, Diamondbacks–are battling for the last Wild Card spot. (I think the Braves and Marlins, along with the Pirates, Nationals, and Rockies are not contenders.) The Cubs could finish behind any of those. I think the Reds and Giants are the ones to fear the most.
Part of the problem with Hoyer–there are so many–is that he stalls prospects and reaches instead for, as Uncle Mike points out, “the shiny object”– but never the most shiny objects. His really bad acquisitions–Mancini, Barnhart, others–are well known, but even his good acquisitions are only pretty good. For example, Suzuki and Tucker, who has been a qualified disappointment, surely not the imposing lineup presence we were led to expect. Hoyer is a lot like Hendry in that way; he overpays for good-but-not-great talent. So he ends up with a team of okay parts but little energy and synergy. They never have that elusive quality of being better than they are. And the pitching staff is much the same; it has its moments, but the ceiling is low. So this season feels like it will be another near miss. Will it be Hoyer’s last one?
the Brewers have beat writers?
“The owner of the site”…According to this site, the last post specifically about the Brewers was 4 days ago.
I don’t know one way or the other if this site has a pro Cubs bias, but the Cubs are a much bigger brand worldwide than are the Brewers.
A Cubs article will most likely generate significantly more clicks and significantly more eyeballs on the screen than will a post about the Brewers.
New York teams get a lot of pub for this same reason. It’s just one man’s opinion, but this could be the simple business reason for your ire.
P.S: Being a Cubs fans isn’t exactly against the law and you gotta love someone in this world, right?
Count the posts about the Brewers and Cubs for 2025. Then do it for 2024. And then 2023.
Saying the Cubs are a bigger market and therefore deserve more coverage is some self fulfilling prophecy nonsense.
Brewers are the best team in baseball.
the fact you’re whining about this is hilarious.
And the Cardinals are far from it.
@King: You are surely right about the Brewers being the best team in baseball. The ability to string hits together that they have shown in winning 12 of their last 13 (and that is likely to be 18 out of 19 in a few days) is remarkable. The Brewers, and to some extent the Blue Jays, have been the biggest and best stories in MLB this season. Eventually, the national media will catch up.
Yesterday morning the Cubs were the best team in baseball.
Keep the Cubs stories coming, Steve.
Even trolls need to stay employed (self, in the basement).
So you’re actually counting posts? for the last three years? Are you having your stroke in installments?
You can count them if you want Cubs fan. Like I said we could ask a Brewers fan but this site ran them off a long time ago with their Cubs bias.
And you lost all sense or reality.
Right now…….
What a dumb comment. This is an MLB trade rumor site and this post is about a trade rumor reported by “Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com.” The site wouldn’t be doing their job if they didn’t post and tie it to the Cubs, just like they do for every other team in baseball. If your user name is an indication of who you are a fan of, maybe your bias is just showing mixed with some anger around a disappointing dog of a team in STL this year.
The site chooses what rumors to post. Look up Brewers trade rumors. You will find rumors about them from far more reliable sources than Francys Romero whoever the heck he is. But the site ignores those and focuses on the Cubs because…..
Sorry you’re stuck with Arenado and a perpetually mediocre team. Don’t take it out on the staff here.
No one cares about the Brewers, it’s the same reason they are never on primetime TV. ESPN wants ratings, just like websites
Exactly. My wife and I are interested in traveling to any place we haven’t been. That’s nothing to write about.
Practically nothing happens now until 2-3 days before the deadline.
The Brewers don’t make big trades at the deadline. They have a system and they trust it and when they do make a trade it makes sense. Unlike the Cubs FO which chases shiny objects and refuses to believe in any sort of process. They only grow prospects to trade them for shiny things to amuse the lame duck POBO. If Hoyer wants to work for the Dodgers and throw money around he should just apply for a freakin job.
@UncleMike: As you know, I basically agree with you, but I have a question:
If the Cubs DID bring up Caissie and Alcantara and Ballesteros and Long and Triantos and Wiggins and Birdsell, and somehow they got extensive playing time–do you think they would be as good as the young players who have been excelling for the Brewers? Is part of the problem that our prospects aren’t really that good, have holes in their game? Is part of the problem that our scouting and development systems are not good?
I know there’s only one freakin way to find out.
I suspect that part of the issue with Hoyer is that he’s afraid of what we might find out.
You realize that this article and most articles
on here are pulling info from other media sources right? The Cubs are in a significantly bigger market than Milwaukee and have more coverage. This diatribe about this being a Cubs is repetitive and tiresome. If it’s such an issue for you find another site.
Oh yes- Let’s hear the ‘objective’ whining of the biggest Cardinal Homer on this site.. What a joke.
Sometimes the reports are intended to motivate other teams. It’s likely true, but it doesn’t hurt the price that other teams now how interested the cubs are
According to the headlines lately, most teams are interested in most players. They’re just looking for something to write until the actual trades start coming out.
IMO, I’d rather have Cade Smith. Is he available? Cubbies are trying for the missing piece like Chapman years ago. Why not trade for Chapman again. History could repeat itself.
When you typed that out, did you consider the name of the website you’re on?
Hence, the nickname “Trade Rumors”.
There’s going to be a ton of articles like this right up until the deadline. But then again this site is mlbtraderumors.com so no need to complain I’d say.
Let me tell you something Mean Gene its not that simple brother. The site has a problem Cubs bias and an anti Brewers bias it has for years. And the garbage they have pulled with the Cardinals over the last few years is inexcusable.
Reporting needs to be unbiased. If its not its Fox News.
Oh I agree, if it’s not the New York, LA, or Chicago teams, the mainstream media doesn’t care. I’ve no doubt Milwaukee will make moves, they’re a well-run organization. Cardinals will be interesting to see what they do.
There is more to it than that. Just like ESPN being located in the northeast led to them favoring those teams this site favors the Cubs because thats where Tim is from. It always has.
Do you remember Brian Roberts? This site thought they could will the Cubs into trading for him. Day after day after day there were reports about this trade that never happened.
keep pounding your keyboard thinking about the Cubs
Very weird. Imagine whining as an adult on mlbtraderumors forum because the brewers don’t get more rumor love, crazy
What’s weird is the Brewers have the best record in baseball and are almost certainly going to make some trades and this site ignores it because they are Cubs fans.
Poor guy, this site doesn’t have enough brewers rumors. What’s a travesty
Ahhh yes….one of the not so hidden beauties of being a Cub fan…the obsessive nature of those that aren’t Cub fans actually caring about the Cubs more than their own team.
Only Rumor from Milwaukee should be we make good beer.
Not
Ryan…and notice his name…he’s a cards fan. Just a Cub troll that’s all.
Can’t latch into any Cards-Cub trolling so he takes the Cub losing streak (1) to grasp somewhere else.
Would mute but he’d pop up at another name soon enough.
Lot of humor to be found in guys loving the keyboard.
Do you mean the garbage the Cardinals have put on the field the last few years is inexcusable? There I fixed it for you.
Cubs have 1 championship in the last how many years?
And how many exactly do the brewers have? They’ve only made it to the show once I think. What’s your point?
I dont believe they have any. I am not a Brewers fan BTW.
1? They actually have 3 in the last 200 years. Greedy much.
9
I am going to bring the discussion back to the given post. For Cleveland to trade Clase, they will want a controllable, MLB ready bat with outfield being a huge need. They will have an expected return from the Cubs and stick to it or Clase will remain a Guardian. Cub fans will not like Cleveland’s price and will spend pages complaining about it. I would think Caissie would have to be part of the return.
As far as the current argument, this site is no different than many other sites. The Big Markets drive the national media. With more rumors nationally, this site has more reports to discuss. This site is much better than ESPN or MLB Network, which is all big markets all of the time. All they see the small markets for is to be a supplier to the rich.
The reason ESPN paid so much attention to the Yankees and Red Sox was because of where they were located many workers there were fans of one or the other. They didnt focus on big market teams they focused on teams that they were fans of just like this site does.
It is not just the Yankees and Red Sox. It is the Dodgers, Cubs, Mets, Astros, Phillies and even the Angels (mainly Trout). Sunday night baseball is frequently Dodgers and the big markets. MLB Network radio and TV is much worse. Both are not listenable.
I haven’t watched ESPN in years. Back when I watched it it was the Yankees and Red Sox. Thats all they cared about.
You don’t have time to watch ESPN. You spend 24 hours a day here changing your name and caring about stuff 99% of humanity doesnt care about.
Stick to hockey John , very bad take on MLB.
You brought the discussion back to the original topic and then added a paragraph about the other topic…
Caissie is exactly who CLE would target to finally stop the revolving door in CF or RF. Guardians could also use a near MLB ready C to replace Naylor next year, but I don’t know if the Cubs have someone who fits that description. I still think LAD has the inside track if they offer Rushing and DePaula.
Palacios is good/confident. Would go as far as saying better today straight up if assessing like a stock. Them giving up a ton for Clase makes little sense when that capital is clearly needed for SP. Setup guy like Bender as bridge makes sense.
Lot of other clubs have much greater need for Clase. Seems like a smokescreen.
In one week we’ll see how far the Cubs go all in. A starter, relief pitcher, 3rd base, bench help. The one small mention in the article is once again 2026. That date 2026, has come up, at least locally around Chicago on podcasts and sports talk shows. How it mentions Happ and Suzuki becoming free agents. There’s more players on the Cubs roster. Tallion, Boyd, Hoerner, Kelly. Around 100 million coming off the books. That is also the end of the current CBA. It’s been loosely discussed and tossed around that the Rickets family look at that time frame as an opportunity to sell the team.Obviously, it’s just some smoke and speculation right now.But certainly had earned some attention.
Before Seiya’s contract is up. They gotta try to extend him. Gotta keep Hoerner too. You can let Happ walk. Which is likely won’t which would block anyone jumping at the opportunity to get to the show
I hadn’t heard of them wanting to sell but considering the team is now valued at over $4 billion and they paid like $845 million in 2009, it would be a successful investment. Everyone in Chicago knows they are pocketing profits every year too and not spending enough on payroll. Maybe they don’t like what they are hearing about the new CBA forcing their hand to spend more. Wrigley is hosting the all star game in 2027 though so I don’t think they would sell before that. Rickets has invested in making that a reality.
Nothing is set in stone yet. The Rogers Centre is also a top candidate for the 2027 all star game. It 1000% should be Wrigley Field. It’s long overdue.
I should have also added in addition to payroll decreases and the CBA is that most, not all but most if the construction and renovation projects in and around Wrigley have little to no financial commitments. The roof tops and some projects around that area is what remains. Like any business, it’s all about the freaking dollars.
Cassie and Wiggins are the only untouchable prospects in their top 10. Build a package around the others for a controllable proven piece whether that’s a starter or closer..
Caissie is also an untouchable. Not sure who Cassie is.
Pay up Cubs!
Cleveland and CHC are REALLY good fits for each other. This could work.
There’ll be 15 more of these Clase articles for the rest of the playoff contenders in the next week. Book it….
Straight up for PCA… Who says no ?
This article must have been written a while ago. Cleveland has just won 11 of 14 and are back in the wild card race. They are not going him up unless some one blows them away.
You are exactly right, of course. But it won’t make any difference.
We keep saying the Guards don’t make these huge deals during the season – only in the offseason. We keep saying the Guardians don’t trade guys until their contract is about to end. We keep saying they won’t trade one of the big guys if we have a chance to win.
No matter. No one listens. People keep insisting a deal is imminent. People keep coming up with horribly unrealistic deals.
The also have the easiest schedule left this year and Bieber is several weeks from coming back. They will be buying (an outfielder since Delauter needs Hamate hone surgery) not selling.