Last week, the Cleveland Guardians entered the MLB trade deadline with significant leverage, largely due to having one of the best relievers in the league, Emmanuel Clase, on a team-friendly contract. However, the dynamic shifted dramatically when Major League Baseball placed Clase on non-disciplinary paid leave Monday as part of its ongoing gambling investigation involving Luis Ortiz. This development removed Cleveland’s top trade chip from the market and forced the team to reconsider its deadline strategy.
Impact of Clase and Ortiz Leaves on Cleveland’s Trade Decisions
The absence of Clase and Ortiz left a noticeable void in the Guardians’ plans at the deadline. Chris Antonetti, the team’s President of Baseball Operations, addressed the situation during a Thursday press conference. While he did not explicitly confirm plans to trade Clase prior to the leave, Antonetti acknowledged the unexpected impacts on the team’s operations and trade discussions. Ultimately, the Guardians remained mostly inactive, apart from trades involving Shane Bieber and Paul Sewald, demonstrating an adjustment in strategy caused by the sudden loss of key players.
“Yeah, there are a lot of different considerations that we had to weight around this time of year. The unexpected developments [of Clase and Ortiz] recently were certainly one of them. But in the end, I think we feel good about the roster that we have for the balance of 2025 and are excited about our future.” —Chris Antonetti, President of Baseball Operations
Future Outlook and Roster Confidence
Despite the disruption to their trade plans, Antonetti expressed confidence in the current roster’s ability to remain competitive through the 2025 season. The loss of a potential trade opportunity involving Clase could have deprived the Guardians of acquiring valuable prospects or big-league talent from a postseason-contending team eager to strengthen its bullpen. Even so, the organization remains hopeful about its trajectory and the players available for the remainder of the year.
Recent Trade Activity and Organizational Moves
Aside from the Clase and Ortiz situation, the Guardians made some moves at the deadline by trading pitcher Shane Bieber and reliever Paul Sewald. These decisions suggest the team is managing its roster prudently while navigating unexpected circumstances. Speculation continues regarding the potential of other players, such as Steven Kwan, becoming trade candidates in future windows as Cleveland balances immediate needs with long-term development.