Guardians set lofty trade demands in potential Emmanuel Clase deal

The Cleveland Guardians are three games back for the third and final wild card spot in the AL. While they are open to selling some of their players at the upcoming MLB trade deadline, they've taken a firm stance on Emmanuel Clase ahead of the deadline.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Guardians aren't interested in moving Cade Smith, but more interestingly, have open negotiations for Clase, but have a very high bar set for a potential deal to be worked out.

"The Cleveland Guardians have no interest in trading reliever Cade Smith," Nightengale writes, "and would have to be overwhelmed by an offer to move closer Emmanuel Clase."

With the Guardians listening to offers, but only willing to move Clase for a huge return, the likelihood the veteran closer stays in Cleveland is high. 

The 27-year-old is under team control through 2028, with club options for $10 million in 2027 and 2028. It's a very appealing contract for an elite closer, which is part of why his value is so high.

MORE: MLB insider reveals Guardians' trade demands for Steven Kwan

Clase is also coming off one of the best reliever seasons in the last decade, where he had a 0.61 ERA and a 674 ERA+ in 74.1 innings pitched with 47 saves, 66 strikeouts, and came in third place in the AL Cy Young Award voting.

This season hasn't been as great, especially after his three-earned run outing against the Kansas City Royals, which raised his season ERA to 3.23. But, his down season in 2025 is still an overall good year, and is an appealing target for the top contenders.

While teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers would have significant interest in Clase, the Guardians would only move on from him if they got an incredible offer that'd be hard to refuse.

With the other options on the market, who are much more likely to be dealt, Clase's odds of staying in Cleveland look good. The Guardians' lofty trade demands in a deal for Clase make such a trade unlikely, as the trade deadline is less than a week away.

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