Cubs remain linked with All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase |
With just over 30 days until the first Spring Training game and roughly three weeks until pitchers and catchers report, baseball is right around the corner. In what is expected to be an exciting year in Chicago, the Cubs are entering a crucial time this offseason as they have only made one significant free-agent pickup to improve their roster.
That isn't what any Cubs fan was hoping for this offseason, but with Cody Bellinger still on the market and 22 of the top 40 free agents remaining unsigned, the Cubs still have a great chance to make some moves heading into spring. Apart from getting Bellinger back, which is the team's primary focus right now, if the Cubs are going to improve their roster, the trade market is the way to go as long as they are not getting robbed in the process. As has been the case for most of the offseason, the Cubs have been engaged with the Cleveland Guardians a lot and have discussed multiple players from their roster. First, it was RHP Shane Bieber, as the Cubs wanted to add young and controllable arms to this staff. Adding Bieber made a ton of sense, but when you saw the asking price the Guardians wanted, it is no surprise the Cubs turned away. After Bieber, you started to hear some Josh Naylor talks to play 1B, but after trading for Michael Busch, Naylor appears to be on the back burner and doesn't appear to be getting interest right now. However, Emmanuel Clase remains the hottest topic in Cleveland, as the Cubs were linked to him earlier this offseason and are once again linked to him, according to the latest report with Bruce Levine. "While the Cubs are reluctant to dole out big money to relievers, it doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in acquiring a star in the role. The Cubs have interest in 25-year-old Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase on the trade market, sources told Levine. When you look at the back end of the Cubs bullpen last season, that wasn't the issue for this team, as Mark Leiter Jr, Julian Merryweather, and Adbert Alzolay were excellent. However, the Cubs will need more than just them to make a significant run this season, and with guys like Robert Stephenson, Aroldis Chapman, and Josh Hader on the market, the Cubs have options. Instead of paying top dollar for some of these arms and only having them for a few years, why not trade for one of the game's best closers, as he comes cheap and has several years of control left? A move like this makes sense for both parties, and it could move everyone in the pen down an inning to make this team better in the late innings. One thing Craig Counsell was always known for with the Milwaukee Brewers was finding a way to manage a bullpen, no matter the combinations. He will be looking to do that again in Chicago, and adding Clase for the ninth would allow Counsell to handle things much differently in the middle innings. According to Bruce Levine, the Cubs are reluctant to spend a ton of money on a reliever in free agency and would instead focus on one via the trade market. Clase has had his name pop up, and the Cubs have had conversations with the Guardians about the right-hander. The 25-year-old Clase leads the majors with 86 saves the past two seasons while posting a 4.92 K/BB ratio and a 2.00 ERA. Talk about a dominating force in the back of the pen. He is making 2 .5 million in 2024, 4.5 million in 2025, and 6 million in 2026 before you have two option years, adding on 10 million per. In other words, he is young, cost-friendly, and someone you can build the back of your bullpen around. That is all something the Cubs want and could use not only this year but for the foreseeable future. This seems like a perfect fit for the Cubs and what they are trying to do, but as expected, there are some red flags that the Cubs will need to look into. For starters, Clase led the league in saves the past two seasons but also in blown saves this year. A large chunk of those saves came in extra-inning games or tough situations, but as a closer, you need to be able to close those games out, and the Cubs blew enough of those close games last season. You also have the highest walk rate he has ever posted last season, which is a minor concern, but still one that needs to be talked about. The increase in walks led to harder contact than he is accustomed to giving up, so many things played into his struggles. Clase also has a past PED suspension hanging over his head, and should he ever test positive again, he would be suspended for the entire 162-game season or parts of two seasons, depending on when it falls. Those are all risks, but he is a risk worth taking, especially when you look at his overall stuff. His triple-digit heater is not only one of the best heaterin the game but also a triple-digit cutter. Hitters have a tough time picking up that pitch, but making contact with that pitch is a job in itself. He pairs that with a 93 MPH slider that generated fewer whiffs last season but can still be a reliable pitch. He is your classic two-pitch mix closer where nothing comes out of his hand straight. "The Chicago Cubs have a minor league system that other people really like."@MLBBruceLevine on potential trade targets for the Cubs.
