The Guardians and the Red Sox were on similar paths going into the 2025 season. The Guardians made it to the ALCS last year, and the Red Sox had bolstered their team significantly in the offseason, looking to be the favorites in the AL East.
Now, entering the second half, one team is two games under .500, and the Red Sox had a 10-game winning streak before the break (was snapped by the Cubs on Friday). Cleveland may want to reload in 2026. This means that pieces need to go.
Emmanuel Clase Would Be Perfect Red Sox Trade Target at the Deadline
Emmanuel Clase was one of the best closers last year, winning the Reliever of the Year Award in 2024. He recorded just a 0.74 ERA with 47 saves on the season in 74.1 innings pitched. But this season, he struggled mightily. He had a 6.75 ERA going into May, giving up 10 earned runs. However, they still went 13-1 in those 14 games he appeared. But since the calendar turned to May, he's posted a 1.17 ERA with 16 saves (21 total) and 30.2 total innings in that time frame.
After that April, he lost the closer role temporarily to Cade Smith, who has been a beast. He posted a 1.91 ERA in 2024 with 103 strikeouts in 75.1 innings, giving him votes for both the Rookie of the Year (5th place) and Cy Young voting (9th place).
This year, he's been good, but not great, maintaining a 3.07 ERA but still striking out 61 batters in the first half of the season. He's been inconsistent, giving up 4 runs to a team like the Tigers, then being unstoppable for the next three games.
For guys like Cade Smith or Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland would get a haul. Now, how would the Red Sox get into this? How would they make a bid for one of these arms?
They could send Jarren Duran over, along with prospects. With them listening to phone calls, the Red Sox have to outbid the others with the Dodgers, Padres, Mets, and Yankees on the course as well. Jarren Duran has to be a part of the package.
Depending on how the Red Sox do, whether a .500 bout or better to end the month, Breslow will need to at least consider these two. With them possibly keeping everybody that was rumored to be traded and trying to add, it'll be fun to see if something like this happens.
Could it? Possibly, but Breslow can't be afraid to part with a few pieces. The good thing is, he has proved that he is not Bloom, as highlighted by his Rafael Devers trade.