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6 hours ago
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The American League is wide open, and the struggling New York Yankees have to capitalize on their golden opportunity.
Following a World Series berth in 2024, the Yankees have a great shot to defend their pennant in 2025. Only the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros have better records within the American League, and New York has a narrowing 1 1/2-game lead atop the AL East.
So while much of the league ponders whether it should buy or sell, the Yankees know they're in full go mode. Even while riding a six-game losing streak, they can start dreaming about potential blockbuster trades at the Jul. 31 deadline.
In fact, one baseball insider thinks the Yankees could be a fit for a three-time All-Star closer.
On Wednesday, Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports named the Yankees among a group of potential suitors for Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, who Dorsey believes has a strong chance to be dealt.
"Clase appears to be putting his struggles behind him. 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," Dorsey wrote.
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"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. Potential landing spots: Yankees, Phillies, Cubs."
In a sense, the Yankees beating up Clase in the playoffs last season may have rattled his cage. They scored four earned runs against him in 2 1/3 innings in the ALCS, after he allowed just five earned runs in 74 1/3 innings during the entire regular season.
Any team will gladly take on a pitcher with a 101-mile-per-hour cutter and work out the rest later. And in a hypothetical world in which the Yankees would have Clase, Devin Williams, and Luke Weaver at the back end of the bullpen, the rest of the AL would be trembling.
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