The Philadelphia Phillies hold a half-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East and have the third-best record in the Senior Circuit. At 57-43, they look like a team destined for the postseason.
The Phillies will more than likely be buyers at this year’s trade deadline. There are areas of the roster that could use some attention.
Their biggest weakness is their bullpen. Jordan Romano hasn’t panned out as their closer, while Jose Alvarado’s suspension makes him ineligible for the postseason.
Some back-end help would be beneficial for Philadelphia. Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports listed Emmanuel Clase as a top trade candidate and had the Phillies as a potential fit.
“Last season, there wasn’t a better reliever in baseball than Emmanuel Clase. He was so good that he finished third in AL Cy Young voting, a sign of his sheer dominance during the regular season,” Dorsey wrote.
“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.”
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Clase is 5-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 44 appearances and has recorded 21 saves. Because he has a few years of team control left, he’ll be an attractive asset at the trade deadline.
The Phillies certainly have the prospects to pull off such a deal, and they would land arguably the best closer in all of Major League Baseball.
The 27-year-old is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. He could give the Phillies the boost they need to finally stabilize their bullpen and pull away from the Mets in the NL East.
The Phillies already signed David Robertson to a one-year contract, but he won’t be ready immediately. The former All-Star still needs time to ramp up.
But the deadline is less than 10 days away, and the Phillies could benefit from swiping Clase from the Guardians.
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