Cubs Showing Interest in All-Star Closer Emmanuel Clase

As we sit here less than one month away from the start of spring training, Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer still has quite a bit of work to do. As quoted during this past weekend's Cubs Convention, Hoyer stated "We're in the fourth or fifth inning of our offseason."

What better way to score some runs in the late innings of the offseason than to acquire 2023's saves leader Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians?

According to 670 the Score's Bruce Levine, adding to the bullpen remains an "area of focus" for the Cubs, who are said to have interest in the 25-year-old. Clase has been a dominant closer since arriving in Cleveland from a trade that sent starter Corey Kluber to Texas in the 2019 offseason. His dominant cutter has helped net him two All-Star appearances and back-to-back seasons in leading the league in saves.

Jed Hoyer has been very reluctant to offer big money to bullpen arms since the midseason signing of closer Craig Kimbrel in 2019, and that pattern hasn't seemed to change this offseason with the acquisition of Yency Almonte from the Dodgers. 

Clase signed a five-year $20 million extension before the 2022 season with Cleveland. For such a dominant closer, it makes sense that Hoyer and Company would have an interest.

Bullpen arms Julian Merryweather and Mark Leiter Jr. are already coming back into the fray after being acquired by waiver claim and spring training invite respectively. This may seem to already be a bullpen with too many right-handed pitchers, but it also does seem to lack that truly dominant ninth-inning closer.

The potential trade package would be steep in price to acquire such a talent. Christopher Morel's name has been the constant buzz of the offseason trade rumor mill and would most certainly have to be on the minds of Cleveland's brain trust.

Adbert Alzolay had a solid run with the job last season but faltered down the end due to injury. A big hit to a club trying desperately to make the playoffs.

So while some fans may welcome the addition of top free-agent reliever Josh Hader, they shouldn't overlook the potential addition of Clase. He is young, affordable, and controllable with team options until the 2029 season. This falls in line with Jed Hoyer's preference for having less money tied up in the bullpen.