Will the Dodgers keep making moves this offseason?
The only place that the Dodgers could look to improve, however, is their bullpen. At the same time, players like Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson, who retired after the Dodgers’ World Series win, and Blake Treinen all stepped up throughout the 2024 season, the Dodgers to not have a lock-down closer.
With so much money invested in their current roster, the Dodgers are firmly in win-now territory. They should be doing everything in their power to take advantage of their current championship window.
The Dodgers have shown that they are willing to be aggressive in the trade market, like when they sent starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot and outfielder Jonny DeLuca to the Tampa Bay Rays for Tyler Glasnow and two promising prospects to the Detroit Tigers for half of a season of starting pitcher Jack Flaherty.
Why not go after the best closer in baseball, Emmanuel Clase? If the Cleveland Guardians are willing to listen to offers, the Dodgers should have enough young, Major League-ready talent and prospects to strike a deal for the three-time All-Star. If the Dodgers can strike a deal for Clase, they would undoubtedly be considered one of the best and most talented teams of all time.
Trade proposal: Dodgers send OF Andy Pages, C/OF Dalton Rushing to Guardians for closer Emmanuel Clase
Clase put together one of the most impressive relief seasons in baseball history in 2024. In 74 appearances, Clase recorded an American League-leading 47 saves and had an astounding 0.61 ERA and 0.659 WHIP and finished in third place in the AL Cy Young voting and 11th-place in AL MVP voting. Clase relies on a devastating cutter, which opponents only hit .150 against in 2024, as his primary pitch.
The biggest question here is why the Guardians would even consider moving a player as successful and valuable as Clase. Coming off of a season like he had in 2024 and being under team control until 2029, Clase’s potential trade value will never be higher. It is unlikely that the Guardians would be able to afford to re-sign Clase ahead of the 2029 season if he continues to be the best closer in baseball.
While trading away a player like Clase would be difficult, the Guardians still have a lot of elite bullpen talent that could step up into the closer role. Relievers Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, and Tim Herrin all had sub-two ERAs in 2024 and could all potentially take over as the Guardians closer after Clase or do a closer-by-committee situation.
The 25-year-old Smith is especially promising. In his rookie season in 2024, Smith posted a 1.91 ERA in 74 appearances and struck out 103 batters, good for a 12.3 SO/9. Smith finished fifth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting and ninth in the AL Cy Young voting.
Because of the talent surrounding Clase in the Guardians bullpen, he is expendable. The Dodgers match up perfectly with what the Guardians are looking for to improve their team, and if they are willing to part with some of their top prospects and promising young players, a Clase trade should be considered.
Why the Cleveland Guardians would want Andy Pages and Dalton Rushing from the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Guardians, who finished in first place in the AL Central with a 92-69 record and made it to the ALCS in 2024, already have one of the most complete rosters in baseball. However, there are a few positions that could be improved.
The Guardians also did not get anywhere near enough offensive production at the catcher position. 24-year-old Bo Naylor has the potential to improve, but after hitting just .201 with a .264 OBP, his bat is not where it needs to be for as an everyday catcher on a World Series contender. Austin Hedges, while a great clubhouse presence, is a career backup. David Fry, the best hitter of the Guardians’ catching group, only caught one game after June 23 and should not be considered a legitimate option.
23-year-old outfielder Andy Pages was one of the biggest surprises for the Dodgers last season as a rookie and would instantly slot into the starting center field role for the Guardians. In 116 games, Pages slashed .248/.305/.407 and hit 13 home runs, flashing some legitimate power potential. Splitting time between all three outfield positions, Pages played the majority of his innings in center field as was a capable defender, recording a positive Outs Above Average and showing off one of the strongest arms in baseball with an overall average of 92.6 mph on his throws and a max speed of 102.1 per Baseball Savant.
The other piece of this potential deal would be catcher/outfield prospect Dalton Rushing, the top prospect in the Dodgers system and the No. 39 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. Rushing can catch or play a corner outfield spot and has shown off some legitimate raw power in the minor leagues, hitting 26 home runs and slugging .512 in 2024 while splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A. With Will Smith locked in at catcher for the Dodgers, Rushing should be expendable and would be a great fit on the Guardians.
Pages and Rushing would give the Guardians two potential middle-of-the-order bats at premium defensive positions. With such a deep bullpen around Clase, the Guardians would have to consider moving their superstar closer if the Dodgers came calling with this deal.
