The Philadelphia Phillies, who have had a quiet offseason overall, are linked to a number of high-profile free agents and trade targets, including as Devin Williams, Kenley Jansen, and Cody Bellinger.
The organization also inquired about a possible trade for one of the top closers in the game with the Cleveland Guardians, according to SportsRadio 94WIP anchor Howard Eskin.
Eskin stated that the Phillies “have spoken to Cleveland concerning Emmanuel Clase.” But here’s the thing: Justin Crawford is one of the players Cleveland is interested in. Crawford is the key to the entire situation.
Eskin continued, expressing confidence that the Phillies “will acquire another pitcher” and hinting that they would bring in a starter in addition to a reliever. However, he emphasized that the Phillies would not part with Crawford in order to acquire Clase.
Eskin declared, “The Phillies are not giving him up.”
Emmanuel Clase Might Be able to Address the Philadelphia Phillies’ Most Serious Roster Issue
The compatibility of Crawford with the Phillies has been emphasized by a number of commentators, who have projected transactions involving Crawford and a number of other young players.
Philadelphia appeared to be one win away from taking home the championship after making it to the World Series in 2022 and the National League Championship Series in 2023. And even after trading former closer Craig Kimbrel to the Baltimore Orioles this offseason, the organization has not taken decisive action to address that need.
In an appearance on MLB Network, Jon Morosi stated, “The Phillies… for the most part, they have not really addressed the main reason why it was the (Arizona) Diamondbacks and not themselves who advanced to the World Series last year, and that’s their bullpen.”
Clase would significantly address the flaw. He pitched for an MLB-high 44 saves in his age-25 season last year, closing 65 games and recording 64 strikeouts with a 3.22 ERA. And he signed a $20 million, five-year contract with the Guardians in 2022, so he’s on a rather team-friendly deal now.
at obvious reasons, Philadelphia ought to be in the Clase competition, Brandon Scott wrote at Bleacher Report. “With Craig Kimbrel gone, things did not go well at the end of games, and there does not appear to be a clear replacement in sight.”
The Philadelphia Phillies are refusing to pay Justin Crawford’s asking price.
Even though the Phillies appear to need bullpen support, it might be counterproductive to part with Crawford. He was ranked as their third-best prospect in 2023 and in the top 100 in the MLB for 2024. Perhaps even more significant for the Phillies is the fact that he is the best non-pitcher talent in their farm system.
Crawford is praised for having a great arm, excellent hitting skills, and plus-plus speed. He is the son of MLB star Carl Crawford. He may eventually prove to be the team’s long-term center field solution, as they have long had difficulty finding an All-Star caliber player to play that position.
In the end, the Phillies and Guardians may come to some other understanding regarding Clase. If not, it appears like the Phillies may have to search elsewhere for a better closer.
“A back-end reliever trade might still be in the cards, but not for this amount,”