Guardians Reportedly 'Listening' to Trade Calls on Cade Smith, Clase Amid MLB Rumors

The Cleveland Guardians are reportedly open to the idea of trading closer Emmanuel Clase and reliever Cade Smith ahead of the MLB trade deadline on July 31.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Guardians are "listening" on Clase, Smith and other relievers, but their asking price is high, and it is considered "not too likely" they will move Clase or Smith.

The Guardians are 47-49, placing them 4.5 games out of a wild-card spot in the American League, but Heyman noted it remains far from certain that they will be sellers since they have the easiest closing schedule in baseball.

Clase, 27, has been among the most dominant closers in baseball ever since making his Guardians debut in 2021.

Over five seasons in Cleveland, Clase is 19-22 with 178 saves, a 1.78 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 325 strikeouts over 333.1 innings pitched.

An All-Star in three straight seasons from 2022 to 2024, Clase is also a two-time Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year.

Last season was the Dominican-born righty's best campaign yet, as he posted a 0.69 ERA and 0.66 WHIP to go along with 47 saves, marking the third straight year he led the AL in saves.

For his efforts, Clase finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting and even got some AL MVP votes, finishing 11th.

Clase's 2025 season got off to a nightmarish start, as his ERA sat at 6.75 at the start of May, but he has been locked in ever since.

Over his past 30 outings, Clase has surrendered a total of just four earned runs, and he has 16 saves with a 1.17 ERA during that stretch.

For the year, Clase is 5-2 with 21 saves, a 2.86 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, which suggests he has returned to his usual status as an elite closer, making him a desirable trade target for teams in need of bullpen help.

Clase is signed through 2026 with club options for 2027 and 2028, so the Guardians are under no immediate pressure to trade him, and if a trade were to acquire him, they would be getting far more than a rental.

Smith, 26, is in the midst of his second MLB season after bursting onto the scene with the Guardians in 2024.

As a rookie, Smith was dominant, going 6-1 with a 1.91 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 103 strikeouts over 75.1 innings. Smith finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting and ninth in AL Cy Young Award voting as a result.

Smith hasn't been quite as lights out this season, but the righty has still enjoyed a strong year with a 2-3 record, three saves, a 3.07 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 61 strikeouts over 41 innings.

Like Clase, Smith isn't scheduled to become a free agent for quite some time, as he isn't arbitration eligible until 2027.

For now, Smith is a remarkable value at a salary of $785,100, which suggests it would take a huge offer to pry him away from the Guardians.