The Philadelphia Phillies' need for a new closer is obvious and pressing.
Every ninth-inning plan the Phillies had coming into the season has been dashed. Free-agent signee Jordan Romano has been a disaster, and just as it looked like José Alvarado would be a suitable fill-in, the big lefty wound up with an 80-game suspension, plus postseason ineligibility, for a positive drug test.
Sometimes, you've got to bring out the big guns. And one baseball insider believes there's a chance that the Phillies could trade for a closer who is widely acknowledged as one of the best in the sport.
On Tuesday, Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports named Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, as a potential Phillies trade target.
"While the recent iteration of the Phillies has not been a team to have an assigned closer, now might be the time to adjust that philosophy and get one," Dorsey wrote.
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"The Phillies have been in the postseason enough in recent years to know that bullpens win in October, and if they hope to make this season count, high-leverage arms should be at the top of their July list. Potential targets: Emmanuel Clase (Guardians)."
The Guardians wouldn't be selling high on Clase, who has a respectable 3.28 ERA this season, but put up a gaudy 0.61 mark last year in the regular season. But they might still be selling at the right time, as the fireballing righty has 1 1/2 years left before free agency.
Cleveland is a team to watch ahead of the deadline. After their rough June, a couple more bad weeks could put them in a selling mood, which would allow the Phillies a shot at revitalizing their bullpen if they can win the Clase sweepstakes.
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