The Philadelphia Phillies need a new closer, plain and simple.
After losing two potential closers to the American League in free agency (Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman), the Phillies have eight pitchers with at least one save this season. And that's because none has proven worthy of manager Rob Thomson's trust in the ninth inning.
With only 13 days until the trade deadline, it might be time for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to go nuclear.
On Friday, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter called the Phillies the best possible landing spot for Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, a three-time All-Star who would be the prize of the relief pitching market if he's traded.
"After a shaky start to the season, Clase is again pitching like a bullpen ace, converting 15 of 17 save opportunities with a 1.20 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 29 appearances since the beginning of June. His salary climbs from $4.9 million to $6.4 million next year, followed by a pair of $10 million club options, so the cost-conscious Guardians could sell now and turn over closer duties to Cade Smith," wrote Reuter.
"The bullpen has been a consistent issue for the Phillies the past several seasons, and swinging a deal for a controllable, proven ninth-inning option who can anchor the relief corps for the next several years should be their top deadline priority."
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Clase, 27, is the two-time American League Reliever of the Year, and last year, he put together one of the all-time best closer seasons, with a 0.61 ERA in 74 1/3 innings.
The Phillies don't even need an all-timer at the end of games, they just need some stability. Clase would not only bring that for the rest of this season, but potentially through 2028.
But of course, the devil is in the details, and whether or not this gets done will come down to how big a prospect package the Phillies are willing to surrender.
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