28-07-2025
Guardians at trade deadline: Teams want Emmanuel Clase, Shane Bieber, but will Cleveland sell?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ahead of Friday's series opener between the Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals, an executive offered a familiar trade deadline thesis.
'I think we have a good team right here. We believe in a lot of the guys we have. We're starting to see signs of the offense coming to life, which is really what's been missing all year. So, we're as confident as we've been in this team, and the pitching is still doing a phenomenal job. We just have to be open-minded to different ways to make our team better.'
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No, that wasn't a Cleveland executive describing the Guardians' state of affairs. It was J.J. Picollo, the Royals' president of baseball operations, though it sounded like he was reading off a Chris Antonetti cue card.
The Guardians and Royals are in similar positions. So, too, are the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. They're all hanging around the wild-card chase and have to determine by Thursday evening whether they want to bolster their chances, shift their focus to 2026 or stand pat. Having three wild-card berths in each league not only keeps more teams in the mix but also stifles and complicates trade activity.
So, how do teams like the Guardians approach this week? Well, it started with surveying their fellow front offices in early July to get a sense of who might become available later in the month. Then, they diverted their attention to the draft for a few days. Now, the trade conversations, in all forms, have resumed and gained steam. The Guardians, figuring a more inviting part of the schedule could fuel a pre-deadline surge, prepared themselves so that no matter their ultimate path forward — buying, selling, both, neither — they had done the legwork on each approach.
It's why Picollo, for instance, wouldn't classify the Royals as strictly buyers or sellers but instead said, 'We're in the business of getting better,' noting that could mean in 2025 or the future. The Royals have added two position players in recent days: second baseman Adam Frazier and outfielder Randal Grichuk. Neither veteran is going to transform what's been a lackluster lineup, but it surely signals — along with extending pitcher Seth Lugo — a more aggressive approach than the Guardians have exhibited, despite a similarly deficient offense and a nearly identical record. Aside from perhaps prospect C.J. Kayfus, no internal reinforcements for Cleveland's lineup are on the way, thanks to injuries to Chase DeLauter, Juan Brito and Lane Thomas. If the Guardians want to stay in the race, they'll need an outside addition or two to their lineup.
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The Guardians weathered a 10-game skid and have since won 12 of 17. Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers are in a free fall. They once led Cleveland by 15 1/2 games in the AL Central. Now it's eight, and the soft patch in the Guardians' schedule reaches a crescendo this week as they welcome the dreadful Colorado Rockies to Progressive Field.
A fascinating (or boring — it could definitely wind up being boring) few days lie ahead.
As Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase retreated to the visitors dugout Saturday afternoon, he attempted a frustration-filled kick of Jonathan India's blue helmet, which had rolled away from the Royals' celebration at home plate after his walk-off home run. Clase whiffed on the boot (probably for the best). It was the first walk-off homer he has surrendered since July 16, 2021.
He wasn't thrilled with the strike zone in the 10th inning of the first game of the doubleheader. He urged manager Stephen Vogt to let him pitch in the nightcap, and he sealed a Guardians win.
Clase is the most prolific closer in franchise history, and despite the India homer, he has resurrected a season that started miserably. Before Saturday, he had logged a 1.10 ERA since May 1. He has three more seasons of team control remaining after 2025, and at less than $30 million total.
As far as relievers go, Clase has a bunch of value and a lot of teams calling — all the contenders you'd expect. Clase has heard the chatter and says he doesn't give it much thought.
The Guardians tend to move on from pitchers before it's too late — that's how they acquired Clase in the first place, for Corey Kluber in December 2019 — but they certainly don't have to trade Clase this week. That's the message to other teams, too. The Guardians have scouts checking in on prospects for some of the legitimate contenders, due diligence that every team conducts this time of year. (For what it's worth, there's been a throng of pro scouts following the club the last couple of weeks, too, especially with the team playing the Baltimore Orioles, a certain seller, and the Royals, a team in the middle.)
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Is there an offer for Clase that wouldn't exist this winter? For the Guardians to hang around in the race, don't they need Clase, since their lineup isn't going to receive an extreme makeover? These are the debates taking place in the offices at 2401 Ontario St. He sits atop the list of potentially available relievers, though, and there's a long line of teams interested. The Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Tigers all want bullpen help.
As one teammate put it: 'No reliever is safe on planet Earth. Not even (Clase), which is crazy. But every team wants him. When you get to the postseason, you need more relievers. No (team) is sitting here today being like, 'I think we're good with the relievers we have.' That's what makes it interesting.'
On July 29, 2023, the Guardians sat at 52-53, 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.
On July 28, 2025, the Guardians sit at 52-53, 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.
Cleveland's decision to sell in 2023 came pretty late and was fueled, in part, by the notion that it would never be able to obtain more for Aaron Civale than it could at that moment, when it landed Kyle Manzardo from the Rays. Civale's value had peaked. He has been traded twice since and could be dealt a third time in the next few days. Rays execs even acknowledged to members of the Guardians front office at the time that it wasn't the Rays' typical mode of operation. Manzardo was a top 100 prospect, and the Rays drool over future value. But they had first-base depth and needed a win-now move to help their rotation.
This year, the Guardians' selling options fall into three categories.
In addition to Clase, teams have called about Steven Kwan. He's the exact player the Phillies desire in left field. For the Guardians, it's the same thought process they have with Clase. Is it something they need to do right now, or can they revisit it this winter, especially if long-term extension talks continue to hit a dead end?
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Cade Smith falls into this group, too, but it's almost impossible to envision the Guardians trading him when he has 4 1/2 years of team control remaining and could be the heir apparent to Clase.
Carlos Santana's punchless bat — and at 39 years old, that shouldn't be a shocking development — has sapped him of his value, at least at the plate. He remains a skilled defender, but teams aren't exactly lining up for glove-first first basemen this time of year. He likely ranks behind Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn and, if the Rays make him available, Yandy Díaz in the first-base pecking order. Santana did not crack The Athletic's big board of the top 50 trade candidates.
The Seattle Mariners, who tried to sign Santana last winter, opted to deal this week for Josh Naylor, whom Santana replaced in Cleveland.
'Any moment that a team shows interest in you and the product that you bring,' Bo Naylor said of his talk with his brother about the trade, 'and the type of player you are, that's always something to be excited about.'
If the Guardians move Santana, they could promote Kayfus from Triple-A Columbus to share first-base/DH duties with Manzardo and David Fry. If Fry could play first base at some point in the final two months — he's throwing out to 90 feet, and one coach said his arm looks great — that would give the front office even more motivation to part with Santana. Vogt, though, sprinkled some doubt on Fry's playing in the field in 2025 and said the focus is for him to catch in 2026.
Lane Thomas, another impending free agent, would have been a trade candidate, but his foot has not cooperated. He's likely out until September because of a lingering case of plantar fasciitis. This contract year has been an abject nightmare for him.
Paul Sewald, who has a $10 million club option for next year that almost certainly will not be exercised, is on the shelf with a strain in the back of his shoulder. He said himself that it probably eliminates him from trade consideration.
And then there's the curious case of Shane Bieber.
He logged three innings at Class-A Lake County on Tuesday, but his start Sunday for Triple-A Columbus was rained out. If the Guardians want to move him, there's a market.
He's earning $10 million this year and has a $4 million buyout or a $16 million player option for next season. Barring a significant setback, it's difficult to envision him exercising that option, so he should hit free agency this winter.
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The Guardians have received calls on Bieber, and they know all about midseason acquisitions of pitchers recovering from injury. They signed Matthew Boyd and traded for Alex Cobb last summer to rescue their rotation.
The starting pitching market is lacking in sizzle — that is, unless the AL Central reshapes the market. Even with Lugo off the board, Bieber and Minnesota's Joe Ryan would be two of the top names on the market.
For Cleveland to move Bieber, it would need to acquire a prospect with more potential than whoever it could select with the draft pick it would recoup if Bieber departs in free agency. If the Guardians hold on to him and he opts out, they can submit a qualifying offer (which last year was worth about $21 million for one year). If Bieber rejects that and signs elsewhere for at least $50 million, the Guardians would be awarded a compensatory pick after the first round. If he signs elsewhere for less than $50 million, the Guardians would be awarded a compensatory pick after the second round.
If his rescheduled outing takes place Tuesday in Akron, the staff at Canal Park might want to clear some extra seats for scouts.
(Top photo of Emmanuel Clase: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
